Virtual treatment options make a case, and private investment is responding

Abstract

Problems in attracting patients to traditional addiction treatment and retaining them in care, an issue compounded by the challenges of the pandemic, have caused an explosion of interest in virtual applications for substance use prevention, treatment and recovery. Startups that for several years now have received some innovation funding from government sources are increasingly catching the eye of heavy hitters in private investment. This became clear last October when Workit Health announced a $118 million investment round that included participants such as CVS Health Ventures and the BCBS Venture Fund.