Integrating substance use services into the healthcare system can improve access to those services for 20.9 million Americans. This statistic signifies that several people need SUD treatment but don’t receive it. Integrating these services can also preventSUD among 68 million Americans who use psychoactive substances unsafely [1].
Apart from SUD treatment accessibility, there are other benefits of integrating SUD services for patients and healthcare providers. For this reason, knowing more about substance use services and the advantages of integration is crucial.
What are Substance Use Services?
Substance use services include all necessary treatment and recovery methods for addiction or substance use disorder. These services may include outpatient, detox, residential, case management, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and recovery services.
Outpatient services in SUD services typically involve counseling and suitable therapeutic strategies. Detox also involves intake, observation, use of medication, and discharge
Benefits of Integrating Substance Use Services into the Healthcare System
According to a journal published in NIH, integrating substance use services into healthcare can reduce substance use[2]. Over time, it will help improve patients’ physical and mental well-being. Here are some of the notable benefits of the integration.
Increased Reach in Substance Use Treatment
Among 23.5 million Americans who should get treatment for substance use disorder, only 2.6 million receive it [3]. One of the reasons for that is the stigma that many believe comes with substance use treatment. Many also believe employers and others in the community have negative thoughts about people experiencing SUD. Hence, they feel compelled to keep their challenges secret.
Many people who recognize the need for substance use services don’t receive them due to the stigma. Integrating substance use services into the healthcare system may help solve the stigma problem. Most people mayperceiveSUDas a common healthcare diagnosis.
Another significant factor affecting the reach of SUD treatment is mild or severe levels of ignorance. Some individuals believe they do not have a mental health condition that requires professional attention. However, a notable percentage of individuals visit treatment centers for physical and mental conditions relating to substance use.
A study shows that over 7.5 million individuals visit emergency departments for conditions relating to alcohol use [4]. With the integration of SUD services into the healthcare system, patients can get a proper diagnosis of both their physical ailments and substance use disorder.
Improved Overall Careand Clinical Outcomes
When substance use services get integrated into the healthcare system, it becomes easier to improve overall clinical outcomes. For instance, health organizations can effectively address substance use behaviors that complicate other physical and behavioral problems. Hence, patients can easily experience an improved physical and mental health state.
Improved overall care due to integration will also be noticeable in people with HIV. Most people with HIV experience comorbid substance abuse, which causes severe adverse effects. However, integrated SUD services in the healthcare system increase the chances of antiretroviral therapy.
Integration can also be very effective in treating conditions like anxiety and depression. Patients with those conditions can benefit from the availability of health care providers and treatment programs after integration.
Overall Healthcare Cost Savings
Many adults in the United States have problems affording general healthcare and dental costs. For this reason, most people don’t get the much-needed care or prescriptions. Integrated SUD services in healthcare can decrease hospitalization rates, emergency department use, and inpatient days. The outcome of those changes will cause a significant drop in the cost of healthcare.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, brief physician advice can save $4.30 for every dollar spent [5]. Overall, utilizing SUD services for patients can help lower total medical costs for young adults and older individuals. Besides major healthcare cost savings, it may also help patients save in non-medical areas like incarceration.
Reduced healthcare costs can also help against financial stress, which causes better sleep, reduced anxiety, and improved immune system performance.
Improved Early Identification of Substance Abuse and Relapse Prevention
Improvement in Various Health Domains
TenEleven Provides Support for Substance Use Services
- Integrated Care
- Outpatient services
- Inpatient/Residential services
- Assertive Community Treatment
- Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services
Provide whole treatment to your patients by appropriately practicing integrated care with TenEleven. Sign up for a demo of our product and get an EHR compatible with an integrated care model!
