Telemedicine – Online Treatment & Therapy

Science has shown that addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease. If you overuse alcohol or drugs, you already know how difficult it is to stop. Treatment requires a team of specialists working with you to achieve sobriety and a meaningful life, while still maintaining normal daily activities.  Telemedicine is a useful addition to the toolbox of treatment options for addiction,  minimizing person to person contact in this era of pandemic precaution. Our experience during the early months of the pandemic have taught us the most effective ways to use telemedicine.

First, it is essential that your initial visit is  in-person. This allows both the IAC physician to better examine you and for you to form a trusting relationship with your treatment team.  We need to understand your motivation and goals for treatment.  You need to feel comfortable with the physician and other members of our treatment team (therapist, counselor/peer recovery support specialist, care coordinator).  

Second, your response to treatment needs to be assessed. People respond differently to medications, and it may take some time to achieve stability.  Stability occurs when the dose of medicine(s) is constant and the medicine relieves cravings and withdrawal symptoms without bothersome side effects.  Mental health and other pressing issues that impact treatment may also need to be addressed.  After that, it is time to consider telemedicine visits.

If you and your physician agree that telemedicine is an option for you, in-person and telemedicine visits can be combined to maximize your convenience as well as your chance of maintaining successful recovery.  Often this results in telemedicine one month alternating with an in-person visit the next.  In case or relapse, instability or new symptoms, you will be asked to come for an in-person visit promptly.

While telemedicine requires an internet-enabled device, including smart phones, tablets or PCs.  Establishing the secure and confidential link with your provider is easy, and our staff will walk you through the simple process.