Are you struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD) and are considering getting medication-assisted treatment online? Then you may be worried about the legitimacy of online suboxone clinics.
Although telehealth practices date as far back as the 1920s and have become even more popular in our modern world, many people still have valid reservations about them.
Let’s dive deep into the intricacies of working with online Suboxone doctors for opiate addiction treatment. You’ll find out more about how it works and how to begin treatment if necessary.
Are Online Suboxone Doctors and Telehealth Outlets Legit?
Online Suboxone doctors can be legit, but you must always conduct your private background checks to ensure that they truly are, and we’ll tell you why below.
Suboxone, aka, buprenorphine/naloxone, is prescribed by medical professionals for individuals suffering from opioid use disorder. It’s typically used as part of a medication-assisted treatment plan that also includes counseling and continuous assessment .
Unfortunately, for most patients, finding Suboxone treatment can be a tedious process, especially during an opioid crisis where they may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms. This is why healthcare providers developed a plan to bridge the gap—providing drug counseling and telehealth treatment via an online platform for those struggling with opioid addiction.
One of the reasons many patients are wary of getting needed help with their Suboxone prescription online is because of the shady stereotype attached to telehealth outlets.
Between 1998 and 2019, there were several cases where physicians were charged with opioid-related offenses for running “pill mills” that led to overdose deaths. A pill mill is a medical outlet or practice that inappropriately prescribes huge amounts of opioids or illicit drugs for profit without sufficient medical backing.
But unlike pill mills, a legitimate telehealth clinic or doctor is highly invested in an OUD patient’s well-being. They only prescribe Suboxone online when it is medically acceptable, required, and in line with the Drug Enforcement Agency’s stipulations.
In addition to recommending prescriptions, legitimate online Suboxone doctors treat their patients’ long-term recovery journey as a top priority, regularly providing follow-up treatment to ensure proper recovery. They are certified clinicians, effectively trained, and reputable in their industry.
If you’re worried about the legitimacy of your telehealth provider, scrutinizing their treatment processes and verifying their credentials can allay your fear.
What Makes an Online Suboxone Doctor Authorized?
The quality of care patients receive when undergoing online opioid addiction treatment is not the only way to identify legitimate online doctors or clinics. You can also check to see if they’re legally authorized to provide you with addiction treatment and medication.
These are a few ways to verify your doctor’s authorization when you seek treatment online:
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Registration
The DEA enforces that only physicians with a DEA registration with Schedule III authority can make a prescription for opioid addiction. And this is only if they’re permitted by the law in the state in which they deliver care.
Schedule III is a drug classification, and buprenorphine, which you can find in Suboxone, is considered a Schedule III. Your doctor has to apply for and hold a valid DEA license to be able to prescribe this medication.
This rule came into effect on June 27, 2023. It says a DEA-licensed clinician should have:
- Undergone 8 hours of OUD training
- Received a board certificate in addiction medicine
- Graduated within 5 years from a program that includes an OUD curriculum of at least 8 hours.
Valid Medical Credentials
If you’d like to take your research a step further, you can also verify the state of your medical practitioner’s medical credentials.
The medical licensing board in every state provides tools through which you can verify a doctor’s license status. Visit the database and search by name or license number. You can also find out details about disciplinary actions that may have been taken against a physician, if any.
Visit this database of health practitioners to search for your state’s agency database.
X-Waiver for Suboxone
Before January 12, 2023, there was a restriction in place known as the X-waiver that determined whether doctors were eligible to treat patients with buprenorphine for OUD.
However, that restriction is no longer valid, as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have rescinded and removed it.
Therefore, it is not required for your Suboxone physician to hold an X-waiver certification to administer treatment. Having a DEA registration with Schedule III is sufficient for them to make prescriptions and get you started on a custom treatment plan.
What to Expect When You Choose an Online Suboxone Clinic
You can further differentiate between pill mills and credible practitioners who provide treatment for opioid abuse with some tell-tale signs.
Pill mills are solely after making a profit for their pockets and are most often eager to push medications on you without restraint. When working with online Suboxone providers, on the other hand, here’s what you should expect:
A Thorough Medical Evaluation
Different telehealth outlets have their preferred methods for beginning a patient’s Suboxone treatments. However, a common starting point is that they check the patient’s medical history and current health needs first to determine whether their treatment requires Suboxone medication.
The health checks help them identify medical health issues like severe allergic reactions, the severity of opioid dependence, and other problems pertaining to substance use disorder.
A Comprehensive Treatment Plan
Research shows that it’s best to treat addiction to opioids long-term instead of through withdrawal management alone. Therefore, patients with OUD require an integrated treatment plan that includes medication, therapy, and counseling, and credible telehealth practitioners will always recommend this.
The comprehensive treatment approach has a higher success rate, making it a highly effective treatment.
In addition to medication, therapy helps equip patients with coping mechanisms to help them deal with opioid cravings or triggers. Counseling also enables patients to develop feasible ways to maintain recovery.
Continuous After-Care
When you begin the induction phase of the prescribed Suboxone treatment, you need to have daily virtual visits with the prescriber. They verify that you’re using the best dosage for treatment, conduct checkups, and help you assess and manage any potential challenges you may be having.
Through suboxone telemedicine, you can conduct hassle-free checkups from the comfort and privacy of your own home.
Is Online Suboxone Treatment Right for You?
Choosing to work with online Suboxone doctors can be quite the change if you’re just starting your addiction treatment. But with some research and scrutiny, you should be able to tell a safe and credible professional from a quack physician.
The tips we shared above can help you identify if your treatment is in safe hands or if your clinician is far from legit.
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