Lessons from Opioid Use Disorder treatment during the pandemic - why Groups is doubling down on virtual care
Fierce Healthcare
October 18th, 2021
By Colleen Nicewicz, CEO, Groups Recover Together
When the pandemic hit, I remember sitting at my desk trying to figure out how we would keep our 5,000+ members and 250 employees out of harm's way. I knew we had to find a new way of delivering care in order for our members to continue on their path to recovery from opioid addiction.
We made the difficult decision to shutter our 60+ physical locations and roll out telemedicine to 100% of our member-base. We made this transition in just four days; a clear testament to our amazing team at Groups.
I remember being concerned. After all, this was a big change; a potentially isolating one. Recovering from opioid addiction is hard enough under normal circumstances. How would we continue to foster a sense of community - a core tenant to our treatment model - without in-person interactions?
It’s now been over a year and a half and we are now serving all of our nearly 9,000 members virtually, with no plans to remove it as an option.
In fact, we are doubling down.