A new independent report reveals that medication-focused virtual opioid use disorder solutions like Workit Health deliver care comparable to in-person treatment in clinical effectiveness and cost.
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today Workit Health, a leading provider of online treatment for opioid use disorder, celebrates a new assessment from Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI), an independent non-profit organization that provides rigorous, evidence-based evaluations of innovative digital health technologies, on the efficacy of telehealth providers of opioid use disorder treatment.
The PHTI evaluation, which included a literature review of 43 peer-reviewed studies and an assessment of 16 telehealth companies that treat opioid use disorder, found that "medication-focused solutions deliver comparable outcomes as usual MOUD treatment, with some evidence suggesting small improvements in retention." Digital wraparound solutions that did not include medication were less supported by the study results. Workit Health, with ten years of experience in virtual-first treatment of substance use disorders, was one of 12 medication-focused telehealth providers supported by the assessment. Workit Health also provided four peer-reviewed studies to the literature review, authored by Workit Labs, the research arm of the company. Workit Health was the only medication-focused provider to offer services in all tracked categories of PHTI's assessment.
"At Workit Health, our mission is to improve the lives of people who struggle with addiction," said CEO Gil Kochman, "and we can only do so by holding to the highest standards of care. We are proud to be part of a rigorous evaluation like this, which provides evidence and necessary critique for our industry."
The opioid crisis was declared a public health emergency in 2017 and has been repeatedly renewed in the eight years since, reflecting the devastating death toll, negative health outcomes, and financial burden caused by opioid use disorder. In response to this crisis, Workit Health began offering telehealth treatment for opioid use disorder in 2017. Despite the long, public acknowledgment of the national impact of opioid use disorder, the people struggling with this condition often face stigma and barriers to care.
"The evidence is overwhelmingly clear–buprenorphine saves lives," said Dr. Justin Coffey, Workit Health's Chief Medical Officer. "Treatment for opioid use disorder is remarkably safe and effective, whether it is delivered through telemedicine or in person. The PHTI assessment validates the need to expand access to this life-saving treatment."
The PHTI study found that medication-focused virtual solutions for opioid use disorder were on par with or slightly better than in-person treatment options. Workit Health has found that at three months, 66% of new members are retained in care, which compares to three-month retention of 50% reported in studies of traditional care.
"Improvements in retention at the population level can translate to life-changing impacts at the individual level," said Marlene C. Lira, MPH, Workit Health's Senior Director of Research. "Our past research has demonstrated not only high retention in care, but high satisfaction among our members and deep relationships between members and providers, the ability of telemedicine to reach high-risk populations such as pregnant people, and even the opportunity to leverage our low-barrier telemedicine model to treat hepatitis C."
While PHTI's assessment found that medication-focused telehealth solutions had comparable or better outcomes to in-person treatment, the conclusion called for further expansion and innovation. Workit Health echoes PHTI's recommendations and especially advocates for policy-makers at the federal and state levels to make Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) teleprescribing rules permanent to create stable, long-term guidance for prescribing controlled substances via telehealth. Without permanent rules, patients live with uncertainty about whether they'll lose access to their medication each year. Workit also supports PHTI's recommendation that policy-makers expand licensure flexibilities so that providers could deliver care across state lines, especially for patients in underserved areas.
"PHTI's report emphasizes the importance of measuring outcomes, especially those that matter most to patients," said Dr. Coffey. "Measurement enables continual learning and improvement. It also enables sharing that learning with the field, through publication, presentation, or other forms of collaboration. When we learn, we grow–it's exactly what we tell our patients."
About Workit Health
Founded by two women in recovery, Workit Health has been addressing substance use disorders using a virtual-first model for over ten years and has provided care for over 35,000 members. The Workit Health Core programs include video visits with licensed clinicians, e-prescribing for opioid and alcohol use disorders and co-occurring conditions, and both behavioral health and peer support. Workit Flex offers streamlined, medication-first care for alcohol use. Workit's innovative technology removes barriers and expands access to evidence-based, person-centered treatment for people struggling with drugs and alcohol, improving outcomes and reducing costs.
More about Workit Health at: https://www.workithealth.com.
Media Contact
Jaclyn Jutras, Workit Health, 1 (734) 489-1624, [email protected], https://www.workithealth.com/
SOURCE Workit Health
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