This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

VIDEO: Telemedicine aids treatment of patients with HCV, substance use disorders

AMSTERDAM — In this exclusive video from International Liver Congress, Andrew Talal, MD, MPH, from the University of Buffalo, New York, discusses alternative paths to ensure patients with substance use disorders with hepatitis C can receive appropriate care.

“One of the models that has been particularly successful for engaging persons with substance use disorders into treatment has been the concept of integrated health or integrating hepatitis C care with that of substance use treatment,” Talal said. “This can be done either one of two ways: either physical integration in which both services are delivered by specialists physically located in the same local or via telehealth.”

Talal advises that because such a high majority of hepatitis C patients also have substance use disorders, it is essential that the health care system and clinicians do not overlook this population. Quality broadband connections, he says, have facilitated the introduction of telemedicine in which health care can be virtually integrated and provide treatment for patients with substance use disorders who may have faced difficulties in traveling to specific clinicians or treatment locations.

Disclosure : Healio.com/Hepatology was unable to determine Talal’s relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.