5 Ways Technology Can Combat Staffing Shortages in Addiction Treatment

Couldn't attend Transform 2022? Check out all the summit sessions in our on-demand library now! Look here.

Over the past few years, we have seen the worst-case scenario develop in the addiction treatment industry: the need for treatment has exploded while the number of medical personnel has rapidly declined.

With an estimated 60 million people in the United States who use substances who could benefit from treatment, and more than 100,000 overdose deaths last year, the need for treatment of substance use disorders substances (TUS) has never been more important.

At the same time, staff turnover in the sector is at 50%, with around 25% of those who have left the company saying they have no plans to return to the field. As a result, Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, predicted a staffing shortage of up to 150,000 providers over the next five years – a huge shortfall that will undoubtedly put millions of people in danger and could cost countless lives.

While recruiting and developing the workforce must remain a top priority, we also need urgent and innovative solutions that can provide essential interim care options.

Event

MetaBeat 2022

MetaBeat will bring together thought leaders to advise on how metaverse technology will transform the way all industries communicate and do business on October 4 in San Francisco, CA.

register here

Technology plays a central role in getting people the help they need and acts as a force multiplier for the staff currently in place. Despite the beneficial impact of technology today, behavioral health will need to scale up its use of technology to meet increased demand with a continuing and growing shortage of critical personnel. Here's how:

1. Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots enable crisis intervention

People with mental illness and substance use disorders experience varying levels of crisis that can, literally, be life or death. The reality is that staff are not always available 24 hours a day to screen all calls to determine which are routine or crisis calls. Chatbots can be successfully used to answer simple calls related to appointments and other treatment-related questions, freeing up staff to interact directly with people in emergency situations or in need of care. /p>

Chatbots that leverage AI to engage individuals during a crisis or keep them engaged post-crisis can provide a critical lifeline. Today's chatbot technology is so advanced it feels like you're talking to a real person, with many patients unable to tell the difference. Because it's accessible 24/7, it allows us to reach people when they need it most with fewer resources. In addition to immediate crisis intervention, chatbots can be used by providers to check in with patients after the crisis has stabilized in order to re-engage them if one becomes destabilized again. 2. Virtual technology improves patient outcomes

The field of substance use disorder treatment has lagged behind the broader medical community in tracking and responding to patient outcome indicators. In fact, there is currently no clearly defined or agreed-upon consensus on optimal outcomes. For this to succeed, vendors need to create...