Today on National Rural Health Day, organizations and providers around the country acknowledge the unique challenges faced by rural communities, celebrate their vitality and resilience, and commit to improving healthcare access and outcomes for rural residents. A retrospective cohort study conducted by Marlene C. Lira, Cynthia Jimes, Ph.D., and M. Justin Coffey, MD, DFAPA, FANPA, CHCIO of Workit Labs, the research arm of Workit Health, was published in Telemedicine and e-Health. This study assessed retention in telehealth OUD treatment among over 1,800 rural patients, one of the largest studies of telehealth for rural Americans with OUD to date. Analysis found that at the three-month point, 62% of Workit Health's OUD members living in rural areas were retained in care. This compares to 50% three-month retention rates reported in extant studies on telemedicine-delivered OUD treatment among patients living in rural areas. Retention in treatment is associated with improved well-being and lower death rates. Workit Health is proud to serve our rural members, bringing evidence-based OUD treatment to them in their own communities. #nationalruralhealthday #ruralhealth #powerofrural https://lnkd.in/gHQ5kBgM
