SEARHC Partners with Sonara Health to Increase Access to Take-Home Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
JUNEAU, Alaska – Over the course of the past decade, the opioid epidemic has risen dramatically and continues to be identified as a national public health crisis. SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) recognizes opioid use disorders, like other chronic illnesses, as a disease; and addiction treatment is considered a standard part of healthcare.
As part of our mission to provide the best healthcare for our communities, SEARHC is excited to announce a partnership with Sonara Health, whose mission is to make it easier for patients to access life-saving treatment for opioid use disorder.
Sonara’s web-based application offers patients a “virtual medication window.” Through this innovative platform, our care team is able to remotely monitor daily medication administration, expanding access to vital treatment throughout the region. Our application also makes it easier for new and existing patients to qualify for take-home medication, improving the quality of life for those in treatment.
“SEARHC is proud to partner with Sonara Health; with this innovative new application, our Opioid Treatment Program will be able to expand its reach to help more people struggling with opioid use disorder,” said Corey Cox, MD, Clinical Director for Addiction Medicine at SEARHC.
In January 2022, SEARHC opened the Front Street Clinic Opioid Treatment Program, a clinic dedicated to proven, evidence-based treatment for people struggling with opioid abuse and dependence. SEARHC opened the Sitka Opioid Treatment Program in February 2023; and this past fall, its third Opioid Treatment Program, serving the communities on Prince of Wales Island.
Now with the introduction of Sonara Health through SEARHC, patients who work remotely without easy access to a physical treatment facility have a way to access treatment toward recovery.
Sonara’s solution is shown to support remote dosing by increasing communication and fostering trust. In a recent, peer-reviewed study, 92% of patients described Sonara’s app as “easy to use” and agreed or strongly agreed that they would like to use it frequently.
For more information about the SEARHC Opioid Treatment Programs and Sonara Health, call 907.463.0600 or visit searhc.org/opioidtreatment
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About SEARHC
Established in 1975, SEARHC is one of the largest Native-run healthcare organization in the United States. As an independent and nonprofit health Consortium, SEARHC provides health-related services in 27 communities throughout Southeast Alaska. Visit searhc.org for more information.
About Sonara Health:
Sonara Health’s remote dosing solution makes it easier for people with opioid use disorder to commit to their methadone treatment. The company’s web-based application allows patients to record their take homes by scanning a QR code placed on their methadone bottles, and then recording a video of themselves dosing for their care team to review. Sonara was designed to build trust between OTP patients and their care teams, empowering clinics with insights to make informed treatment decisions, while also improving program retention rates and treatment outcomes.
Media Contacts
SEARHC | searhcnewsroom@searhc.org, 907.463.4023
Sonara | michael@sonarahealth.com, 832.387.7242
Download the press release here.