PRESCRIPTION DIGITAL THERAPY: How PDTs Can Improve Patient Outcomes

Software Applications Offer Evidence-Based Treatment for Substance Use Disorders

Prescription Digital Therapies (PDTs) are one FDA-approved treatment for substance use disorders (SUD) that can improve patient recovery outcomes when used as part of a comprehensive addiction treatment program.

Key Takeaways

• PDTs are software applications designed to treat specific medical conditions, including substance use disorders and opioid use disorders.
• PDTs are designed to deliver evidence-based interventions, which have been shown to improve patient outcomes.
• PDTs require a prescription from a healthcare professional and are intended to be used in conjunction with other treatments, including individual counseling, group therapy, and medication.
• In addition to SUDs, other PDTs can treat various conditions, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

Thoroughly Tested, Proven Technology

While PDTs represent a fairly new tool used in outpatient medication-assisted treatment programs, they have been under development for nearly 30 years. PDTs are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as medical devices.

As a result, PDTs are subject to the same exacting regulatory requirements as traditional medical devices. This means they undergo rigorous clinical testing to ensure their safety and efficacy before they are approved for use by patients.

While patients in a medication-assisted treatment program like BrightView are treated with medicine, PDTs treat patients with software. They incorporate behavioral and cognitive therapies and use technology to deliver these interventions.

Software-Based Assistance Improving Patient Outcomes

Substance use disorders are a major public health crisis affecting communities across the country. Seeing PDTs as an opportunity to help its patients and address this crisis, BrightView works closely with Pear Theraputics, a leader in software-based medicines.

BrightView has been using Pear’s products to improve access to care for its patients. PDTs have been in use in six centers across Kentucky and Ohio since early 2022. In that time, BrightView has found PDTs increase patient abstinence during treatment and increase retention in its treatment program. As a result, BrightView’s use of PDTs could expand to include centers in Massachusetts, and Virginia.

BrightView has found that PDTs increase patient abstinence and retention in its treatment program.

Pear Theraputics provides BrightView with two FDA-approved options for its eligible patients: reSET, and reSET-O.

• reSET is a 90-day PDT for patients with SUDs.
• reSET-O is an 84-day PDT for patients with opioid use disorders.

The software provides patients with online learning and tracks lessons completed, patient-reported substance use, triggers, and patient cravings. It can also track in-person data inputs including urine drug screen results. A provider dashboard helps inform patient meetings during their treatment.

Impacting SUDs & More

In addition to SUDs, PDTs are being used to help patients with various aspects of other diseases, including Cancer, Chronic Lower Back Pain, Diabetes, ADHD, Insomnia, and Anxiety.

Reach Out to BrightView for Addiction Treatment Online & In-Person

As part of a comprehensive treatment program, PDTs are improving recovery outcomes for anyone struggling with a substance use disorder. Complete our online form, or contact us today at  833.510.4357  for information on our treatment programs, and you or a loved one can start to feel better tomorrow.

Photo by Rodion Kutsaiev on Unsplash