Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39919481›Full record

ArticleThe International journal on drug policy2025

Telemedicine to improve access to medications for opioid use disorder in Illinois, 2022-2024.

Kimberly Gressick, Maria Fiorillo, Sarah Richardson, Maria Bruni, Stacey Brenner, Miao Hua, Nik Prachand, Nicole Gastala

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The International journal on drug policy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kimberly GressickEpidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States; Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States. Electronic address: uqv1@cdc.gov.
Maria FiorilloChicago Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States.
Sarah RichardsonFamily Guidance Centers, Inc., Chicago, IL, United States.
Maria BruniFamily Guidance Centers, Inc., Chicago, IL, United States.
Stacey BrennerFamily Guidance Centers, Inc., Chicago, IL, United States.
Miao HuaChicago Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States.
Nik PrachandChicago Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States.
Nicole GastalaIllinois Department of Human Services, Chicago, IL, United States.

Funding

Intramural CDC HHS CC999999
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGlobally, opioid use remains a major public health problem. In 2019, 480,000 deaths were related to opioid use. Locally, mortality from opioid-involved overdose is high among Illinois residents, with 83 % of ∼4000 overdose deaths during 2022 involving opioids. Treatment for opioid use disorder with buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone is approved, safe, and effective. However, significant barriers to treatment remain for many persons.

methodsIn response to new prescribing policy flexibilities, in May 2022, the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Division of the Illinois Department of Human Services partnered with a statewide opioid treatment provider, Family Guidance Centers. The partnership started an immediate opioid use disorder treatment helpline program. We performed a descriptive analysis using aggregate data from all calls for assistance with substance use received by the Illinois Helpline during May 9, 2022-March 7, 2024.

resultsA total of 2649 unique calls were made to the helpline from persons seeking assistance with substance use, and 1698 unique callers were connected to Family Guidance Centers for treatment initiation. Most callers were prescribed buprenorphine by telemedicine, followed by methadone during in-person treatment. In total, 1515 (89.2 %) of 1698 callers with opioid use disorder were initiated on buprenorphine or methadone through the program.

conclusionA state-wide low-barrier access to medications by telemedicine program is an effective treatment model for the initiation of medications for opioid use disorder.

Indexed as

Health Services AccessibilityOpiate Substitution TreatmentOpioid-Related DisordersTelemedicineAdultAnalgesics, OpioidBuprenorphineFemaleHotlinesHumansIllinoisMaleMethadoneNaltrexoneNarcotic AntagonistsAnalgesics, OpioidBuprenorphineMethadoneNaltrexoneNarcotic AntagonistsBuprenorphineMedications for opioid use disorder (MOUD)MethadoneOpioid use disorder (OUD)Telemedicine

Identifiers

PMID39919481
PMCPMC12183761

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceTDM
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.