Suboxone Telehealth Frequently Asked Questions

---

Online telehealth is the use of audio and video technologies to conduct medical treatment appointments or therapy sessions. At times audio only technology is acceptable, but for some appointments operating applications such as the video conferencing of Zoom is required for the type of telehealth appointment. 

Any device that can complete video conferencing can be used for telehealth. This can be a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a web camera and microphone. Additionally, a stable internet or cellular data service is required during the time of your telehealth appointment.

For many common medical conditions, the use of remote online telehealth is just as effective as in-person treatment options. Using video conferencing allows patients and medical providers to build well established relationships. Telehealth allows patients to have less barriers to treatment and make scheduled appointments from anywhere that internet connections or cellular data services are available. The time and cost savings of telehealth are often appealing to many patients.

There are many advantages to online telehealth services. In short it is often more convenient for patients to utilize telehealth. This can save valuable time and money by not needing to drive into an office for appointments. Telehealth can also reach patients in rural areas, as often seen in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, opening more treatment options for those residents. Read more about all the advantages of using online telehealth on the Advantages of Telehealth Page of this website.

Yes, there are strict Federal laws protecting patient information and this applies to telehealth treatment facilities as well. Technologies used for telehealth treatment are designed to protect security through data encryption and adhere to HIPAA requirements.

Yes, if deemed necessary by the medical provider. No treatment facility can guarantee medications, that decision is between the patient and the medical provider. If approved for a medication the provider can easily e-scribe (electronically submit) the medication to your preferred pharmacy after the conclusion of the telehealth appointment.

This is like many in-person office visits. You will have a scheduled time to attend your appointment with your medical provider. During that time, you need stable and reliable audio and video connection for video conferencing. For the appointment you would discuss in real time with your medical provider your medical concerns and receive appropriate diagnosis and medications. 

All states have telehealth options. At the Federal level all states in the United States can have many medical practices offering fully online telehealth. For addiction treatment, this was Federally granted on 10/2/2024 for Suboxone (Buprenorphine) treatment to continue. As this is Federally allowed, states could be stricter and make limitations. Currently online opioid addiction treatment with Buprenorphine (Suboxone) is allowed in Pennsylvania and West Virginia along with many other states.

This all depends on the individual situation and the medical concerns at hand. You can have appointments as frequently as needed. For online Suboxone treatment, the maximum length of appointments is that of 28 days, which is the longest length of a prescription allowed. For those new to treatment, appointments will be more frequent, often on a weekly basis, until stability in recovery and treatment have been established. 

Absolutely. The increase of the use of online telehealth for addiction treatment expanded during COVID-19 but has recently on 10/2/2024 been adopted to be in place for multiple areas of addiction treatment. This includes the use of online Suboxone doctors for the treatment of opioid addiction treatment. Therapy services also have been commonly completed with telehealth technologies for many years.

This is the same as missing any appointment, you would need to reschedule. The patient centered scheduling system available at Recover Clarity was specifically designed to assist patients in the event of missing an appointment and keep them on track with their treatment, often still being able to see the patient the same day as their missed appointment. Other treatment facilities the rescheduling of an appointment could cause a gap in treatment, leaving a patient without their life saving medication of Suboxone. Click to learn more about Recover Clarity’s innovative Patient Centered Scheduling. 

This will vary between different telehealth treatment facilities. At Recover Clarity we can almost always get new patients on the same day they inquire about treatment, if they inquire during operating hours. The required paperwork to start as a new patient is simple and usually can be completed in 20 minutes. Some facilities may take days or weeks to have availability for new patients.

Often telehealth is a more affordable option of treatment and for a variety of reasons. Telehealth allows businesses to run more efficiently and without many overhead expenses that in-person facilities require, which reduces prices. Also, without having to drive to in-person appointments the patients will save money on travel as well as valuable time it takes to make it to such appointments. Recover Clarity has a unique and innovative approach to pricing for self-pay patients and those with high deductibles, which lowers pricing over time and gets below the national average. To learn more, click to view the page on Pricing.

This again will vary depending on the telehealth addiction treatment facility you attend. Some require patients to drive to in-person testing facilities for drug testing. Recover Clarity gives patients the convenience of completing drug testing remotely via online telehealth. The testing is an oral fluid test and completed via video conferencing with office staff. The testing is quick and often completed in 5 to 10 minutes. This can be done in the privacy of your own home or even in your vehicle on a break at work, all completely private. Click here to learn more about the free Drug Testing offered by Recover Clarity.

This all depends on the facility. Some telehealth facilities will place patients into a call waiting lobby and this can cause very long wait times. At Recover Clarity, we pride ourselves on appointments happening at their scheduled time, therefore no more time sitting around waiting on a medical provider. The time the appointment takes to complete depends on the need of that appointment. If a patient is stable on their Suboxone medication and has no changes in their life, appointments can easily be very short. For those patients with other medical concerns or are struggling in their opioid addiction recovery, more time may be needed to assist that patient. Typically, all appointments are 30 minutes or under, with some being as quick as 10 minutes.

 There is a great difference between Subutex vs Suboxone. Both medications contain Buprenorphine however only Suboxone contains Naloxone. Suboxone of the two medications is the preferred medication for the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This is because the Naloxone provides a “safety net” for any relapses and can assist in decreasing the chance of a fatal overdose in the event of a relapse. Subutex still assists with alleviation of withdrawal symptoms and cravings with the Buprenorphine, but lacks the Naloxone. Therefore when looking at Subutex vs Suboxone, it is Suboxone that is preferred for treatment. Those individuals with a documented allergy to Naloxone, then Subutex is the needed medication. 

 When comparing Suboxone vs Methadone, Suboxone is the preferred medication for the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder by Recover Clarity. Suboxone is only a partial opioid agonist where Methadone is a full opioid agonist. Because of this Suboxone has a ceiling effect limiting the chances for abuse of the medication, which is not true of that of Methadone. Suboxone also includes Naloxone which assists with decreased chance of relapses and fatal overdoses. Methadone is also reported by many to be more difficult to taper off of when compared to Suboxone. Also between Suboxone vs Methadone, only Suboxone can be treated completely with remote online telehealth, such as the program here at Recover Clarity.