Ideal Option, a national leader in evidence-based treatment for addiction to opioids, alcohol and other substances, has launched a “Virtual Clinic” for new and existing patients to get addiction treatment via video chat from home or a location of their choice.

The virtual clinic gives thousands of people with opioid use disorder living in rural areas an unprecedented opportunity to access medication-assisted treatment in real-time from any location.

The virtual clinic has been made possible by the recently issued DEA emergency guidance waiving the requirement for a physical exam before prescribing controlled substances.

“We developed a virtual clinic to help patients shelter in place during COVID-19, but our vision is to keep it open beyond the pandemic,” said Tim Kilgallon, Ideal Option’s CEO. “The ability to deliver evidence-based treatment to opioid use disorder patients, no matter where they live, will make a momentous impact on the opioid epidemic. We’re optimistic about the future if federal and state barriers to starting addiction treatment remain lifted.”

In addition to offering virtual treatment and longer prescriptions to stable patients, Ideal Option is also shifting to home urine testing and will soon offer additional lab services in the home. For patients who don’t have private devices for their video chat sessions, a telemedicine kiosk is available in any of Ideal Option’s North Dakota clinics.

Ideal Option has five clinics in North Dakota in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot and Williston. All Ideal Option clinics remain open as essential services during the pandemic.

People interested in starting addiction treatment from home can go to www.idealoption.com/virtual to get immediate access to an addiction medicine provider. To learn more about Ideal Option’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit www.idealoption.com/coronavirus.