Telepsychiatry and Addiction Treatment

The need and the importance of telemedicine has been brought to the forefront during the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19. It has created another viable option for treatment delivery while reducing risks. However, there are major concerns regarding the delivery of services for treatment of substance use disorders using telepsychiatry. We discuss the various concerns and opportunities, the different international practices, and the Indian guidelines. We believe that there needs to be a balance between access to treatment and medication with reasonable checks and call for more patient and provider friendly practices. We also propose certain modifications in the Indian Telepsychiatry Guidelines.