Done. urges DEA to put patients first and revise new rules to prevent a nationwide health crisis
Rule changes elevate telehealth in the role of patient-provider medicine but don't go far enough to be relevant to today's hybrid society.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Done., the leading hybrid (in-person + virtual) psychiatric care platform that connects providers to patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has expressed concerns through public comments about the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) proposed rule on the Telemedicine Prescribing of Controlled Substances When the Practitioner and the Patient Have Not Had a Prior In-Person Medical Evaluation. While the ruling is a step in the right direction, in our connected and hybrid world, the rule does not go far enough to preserve and increase patient access to controlled substances for the treatment of substance abuse, mental, and behavioral health issues. This lack of relevancy by the DEA is therefore set to cripple an already-fragile mental-health-patient population.
In this proposed rule, patients are at the risk of being pushed off a telemedicine cliff as the DEA wants to revert to near pre-pandemic policies that require in-person visits with regards to certain medications. Even with a 180-day grace period following when the rules take effect May 11, 2023, the burden remains on the patient to find a provider and with 150 million Americans in what the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has designated as a "federally designated mental-health professional shortage area" that could mean access to previously prescribed medications is abruptly eliminated.
We believe that the decision to mandate a hybrid model or an in-person visit should fall within the authority of the provider, not as part of a blanket regulatory requirement. This allows providers to better optimize their time by deciding who does and does not need to be seen in person and thus allows the patient to receive effective treatment quickly. The reality is that the vast majority of adults in the U.S. today are experiencing a mental-health crisis - indeed, a mental-health epidemic - and it's now time to make mental-health treatment as ubiquitous as the challenge.
Particularly with ADHD medication, patients who have initiated treatment via telehealth and then for a legitimate reason cannot fulfill the in-person requirement may need to discontinue treatment altogether, potentially leading to a declined quality of life due to low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. Additional consequences can relate to difficulty in relationships, job instability, negative social interactions, drug and alcohol misuse, and increased mortality rate.
Furthermore, 37% of Americans have almost no access to any of the care they need. Countless individuals do not have access to a mental-health provider as 60% of all counties and 80% of rural counties either have no psychiatrist, may have issues with transportation, and/or may be unable to leave their homes due to their mental illness. These systemic hurdles already force an unfair burden and new measures that require an in-person evaluation will be detrimental to most Americans.
To help solve these critical issues, Done. recommends a hybrid model that can incorporate both the requisite regulations in the industry but also the greatest malleability to meet patient needs. Done. uses technology, data, and insights to improve patient experience and clinical outcomes. Since its founding, Done. has been committed to making the highest quality psychiatric care accessible and affordable. Since our launch in 2019, Done. has set out to be the leader in hybrid psychiatric care through initially focusing on helping patients with ADHD get the care they need.
Hybrid care is defined as a blend of in-person with virtual coverage to provide a holistic option for the patient and provider to achieve the greatest clinical outcomes possible. We achieve this through a "direct" and collaborative care model. We combine Done's ongoing virtual care offering with high-touch in-person care through Done.'s independent partner psychiatric expert clinicians consultations at Done. offices, partner clinician in-person consultations, and trusted provider referrals maximize access to the best psychiatric care available.
Done's mission has always been to empower and support our members in reaching their potential. We started Done. because there was a lack of qualified clinicians to treat patients and because patients struggled to access care within their communities. We remain committed to that mission and urge the DEA to take the necessary actions without delay.
About Done.
Done. is a hybrid-care (in-person + virtual) health platform that empowers anyone living with mental health challenges to reach their fullest potential. Through a patient-first, technology-powered platform, industry-leading digital-health company, Done. makes high-quality psychiatric chronic care management more accessible and affordable.
Disclaimer: Done. is an online platform that connects members with qualified clinicians to screen, diagnose, and treat members with ADHD. Done. does not provide medical services. All professional services on the Done. platform are provided by clinicians who are psychiatric board-certified medical professionals; Done. does not engage in the prescription business. To learn more about the platform, visit: DoneFirst.com.
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Gretchen Pahia, Pitch Public Relations, 1 602-309-4286, [email protected]
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