A pilot study comparing in-person and remote outpatient substance use treatment services on quality-of-life outcomes()

BACKGROUND: The widespread shift from in-person to Telehealth services during the Covid-19 pandemic irreversibly shifted the landscape of outpatient substance use treatment. This shift was necessitated by health, rather than data-driven, reasons. As we reflect on whether to continue providing Telehealth services moving forward, we require empirical support on the effectiveness of Telehealth services (compared to in-person services) in terms of patient outcomes, such as Quality of Life (QOL), to support this decision. OBJECTIVE: To present data from a pilot project comparing changes in QOL across patients receiving outpatient in-person versus Telehealth substance use treatment in five clinics across New York State. METHOD: To retrospectively compare total self-reported QOL scores from admission to 3-months later utilizing the Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction scale during in-person (pre-pandemic, n = 298) and Telehealth (pandemic, n = 316) services with a mixed repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Self-reported QOL scores significantly improved across the first three months, regardless of treatment modality CONCLUSION: Telehealth and in-person treatment appear comparable on QOL outcomes over the first 3 months of outpatient treatment. Both modalities are associated with improved QOL scores. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: These preliminary findings provide evidence that Telehealth services are associated with positive patient outcomes and appear comparable to QOL outcomes among patients receiving in-person services. Future directions include further assessment of additional clinical outcomes and investigation into causal mechanisms.