Abstract
The growing presence of electronic technology in the health service professions is redefining the boundaries of counseling services. Commonly referred to as telehealth, utilization of electronic communication strategies to expand connectedness has opened new frontiers in behavioral health through applications ranging from digital phones, interactive video sessions, to virtual supervision. Substantial research suggests that telehealth is generally equal in effectiveness to traditional forms of treatment, especially for those individuals struggling with substance abuse problems. Unfortunately, research also suggests that telehealth is often underutilized when it comes to providing addiction treatment services. Telehealth trends in Colorado were examined using a Telehealth Survey consisting of 29 items. Participants consisted of 125 members of the Colorado Association of Addiction Professionals. Similar to research published elsewhere, 65% reported that they do not currently use telehealth technologies. Furthermore, findings illustrated that actual use can vary by ethnicity, age group, type of organization, as well as service location. Participants’ reluctance to implement telehealth is related to concerns associated with training, confidentiality, clinician/staff acceptance, and reimbursement. Future research, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, is recommended to further explore both the challenges and solutions to promote telehealth use, as well as methods to expand relevancy and awareness.
Highlights
No innovation has revolutionized the delivery of behavioral health services more than electronic information and telecommunication technology
Survey results showed that 81 participants reported they are not currently using telehealth services, while 44 participants indicate they are currently using telehealth for clinical services
The results gathered from the participants revealed a reluctance to use telehealth services in the addiction profession, with 65% of participants indicating they do not currently use any form of telehealth service
Summary
No innovation has revolutionized the delivery of behavioral health services more than electronic information and telecommunication technology. Technologies include video conferencing, the internet, store-and-forward imaging, streaming media, and terrestrial and wireless communications.” (https://www.hrsa.gov/ruralhealth/telehealth/index.html) Telehealth services that include in-person video conferencing are called realtime/immediate services, or synchronous services, while services provided through e-mail or online surveys are called store-and-forward services, or asynchronous services (Baca, Alverson, Knapp-Manuel, & Blackwell, 2007; NASADAD, 2009). Asynchronous services are typically used to reciprocally forward or transfer health related data between the healthcare professional and the client. These services include exchanging emails (digital images or other medical concerns) and conducting online surveys (NASADAD, 2009)
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