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Utilization of Telehealth Technology in Addiction Treatment in Colorado

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Abstract

The growing presence of electronic technology in the health service professions is redefining the boundaries of counseling services. Commonly referred to as telehealth, utilization of electronic communication strategies to expand connectedness has opened new frontiers in behavioral health through applications ranging from digital phones, interactive video sessions, to virtual supervision. Substantial research suggests that telehealth is generally equal in effectiveness to traditional forms of treatment, especially for those individuals struggling with substance abuse problems. Unfortunately, research also suggests that telehealth is often underutilized when it comes to providing addiction treatment services. Telehealth trends in Colorado were examined using a Telehealth Survey consisting of 29 items. Participants consisted of 125 members of the Colorado Association of Addiction Professionals. Similar to research published elsewhere, 65% reported that they do not currently use telehealth technologies. Furthermore, findings illustrated that actual use can vary by ethnicity, age group, type of organization, as well as service location. Participants’ reluctance to implement telehealth is related to concerns associated with training, confidentiality, clinician/staff acceptance, and reimbursement. Future research, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, is recommended to further explore both the challenges and solutions to promote telehealth use, as well as methods to expand relevancy and awareness.

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Acknowledgments

Riley Cochran, Alli Tellez

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Counseling Psychology Department, University of Denver, Rm. 225, 1999 East Evans Avenue, Denver, CO, 80208-1700, USA

    J. Michael Faragher, Virginia Low & Demi Folds

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, P-217, Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E9, Canada

    Ying Shan Doris Zhang

  3. Walden University, PO Box 4297, Evergreen, CO, 80437, USA

    Mita Johnson

Authors
  1. J. Michael Faragher
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  2. Ying Shan Doris Zhang
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  3. Virginia Low
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  4. Demi Folds
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  5. Mita Johnson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Michael Faragher.

Ethics declarations

Ethical Approval

This research has been approved by the university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), Human Subjects Protection Program, Office of Research Compliance, and has followed procedures in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

Informed Consent

The voluntary nature of this study was stated clearly in the text and all persons gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study.

Conflict of Interest

None of the authors have conflicts of interest and the authors have full control of all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review data if requested.

Appendix

Appendix

Telehealth Services Survey—For Individuals

Survey Introduction. You might have noticed the expanding role that technology is playing in behavioral health. In order to construct a state-wide plan moving forward, it is important to define the current status of Telehealth utilization in Colorado. To this end, we are attempting to identify the current technology usage patterns in the field of addictions treatment in Colorado. We greatly appreciate your input and support by completing this short survey. Study results will be provided to you upon completion of this research project.

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Faragher, J.M., Zhang, Y.S.D., Low, V. et al. Utilization of Telehealth Technology in Addiction Treatment in Colorado. J. technol. behav. sci. 3, 226–246 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-018-0057-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-018-0057-3

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