Talking HealthTech: 444 – Tearing Down Barriers to Accessing Addiction Treatment. Pia Clinton-Tarestad, Clean Slate Clinic

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In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Sophie Turner interviews Pia Clinton-Tarestad, CEO and Co-Founder of Clean Slate Clinic, a social enterprise providing virtual care addiction treatment services. Pia shares her journey and insights into the barriers people face when seeking addiction treatment and how the innovative Clean Slate Clinic model aims to address these challenges.

Tearing Down Barriers to Accessing Addiction Treatment

Access to addiction treatment has long been plagued by numerous barriers, including geography, financial constraints, long waiting lists for public services, and stigma surrounding addiction. These hurdles often discourage individuals from seeking help, making addiction treatment less accessible than other forms of healthcare. No one should be left behind due to their location or financial situation.

Geographical barriers can significantly limit access to addiction treatment services. Many rural and remote areas of Australia lack sufficient resources or facilities to meet the demand. The Clean Slate Clinic’s virtual care model addresses this issue by offering accessible and effective treatment options regardless of location. This telehealth approach is a crucial step toward ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to seek help, no matter where they are.

The Power of Social Enterprises in Healthcare

The Clean Slate Clinic operates as a social enterprise, a model chosen for its focus on social justice and financial sustainability. Social enterprises are organisations that prioritise social, environmental, and community goals alongside profit-making. Unlike private companies or not-for-profits, social enterprises aim to generate revenue while addressing pressing societal issues. This model enables the Clean Slate Clinic to maintain a mission-driven approach while ensuring financial sustainability.

The founders’ commitment to providing accessible addiction treatment services drove the decision to establish Clean Slate Clinic as a social enterprise. Government funding in the alcohol and other drugs (AoD) sector can often be unpredictable and insufficient to meet the growing need for services. The social enterprise model offers the flexibility required to navigate these challenges, allowing Clean Slate to continue its mission without relying solely on grants and public funding.

Innovative Approaches to Addiction Treatment

Clean Slate Clinic’s virtual care model represents a significant innovation in addiction treatment. The clinic offers a clinically led 12-month program utilising technology and a team of dedicated clinicians. By leveraging telehealth, Clean Slate can provide faster access, lower costs, and better outcomes than traditional inpatient withdrawal programs. This virtual care approach addresses the inaccessibility and inefficiency of conventional addiction treatment, offering a more practical solution.

The success of the Clean Slate Clinic lies in its innovative use of technology to deliver quality care. The clinic utilises a modular technology stack, including a secure medical records database and a customer relationship management (CRM) system, to ensure seamless and efficient service delivery. This approach improves accessibilityand enhances the overall patient experience by providing a more personalised and responsive care environment.

Staff and Values: The Heart of Clean Slate’s Success

A key factor in Clean Slate Clinic’s success is its team of motivated and passionate staff. The recruitment strategy emphasises values and skills over specific roles, ensuring the team is unified by the organisation’s social justice mission. This shared commitment to making a difference in the lives of those struggling with addiction is what sets the team apart.

The clinic’s co-founders, Dr. Chris Davis and Chris Raine, bring valuable experience and dedication to their work. Their personal journeys and lived experiences with addiction and mental health drive their determination to transform addiction treatment services. This deep-rooted commitment to its mission has helped Clean Slate Clinic build a strong reputation and drive national initiatives to improve addiction treatment in Australia.

Overcoming Financial Challenges

Securing funding for a social enterprise can be a significant challenge, particularly in the healthcare sector. Clean Slate Clinic has faced difficulties obtaining grants and private funding, which are essential for sustaining and expanding its services. Despite these obstacles, the clinic’s social justice values and mission statement have helped attract passionate employees and build a dedicated team.

The financial challenges faced by Clean Slate Clinic underscore the broader issue of funding in the addiction treatment sector. Many organisations depend on government funding, which can be unstable and difficult to secure. A more sustainable approach is needed to ensure that addiction treatment services can continue to operate and expand. Finding new ways to fund these services independently of government grants is crucial. Social enterprises present a viable solution but require more support to thrive.

Developing a Robust Technological Framework

Technology plays a crucial role in Clean Slate Clinic’s ability to deliver high-quality addiction treatment services. The clinic has implemented a robust technological framework with a secure medical records database and a CRM system. This modular technology stack enables the clinic to provide seamless and efficient care, regardless of the patient’s location.

Interoperability and compliance with medical record system standards are vital components of Clean Slate’s technological approach. Ensuring that data can be easily shared and integrated across various systems is essential for delivering comprehensive and coordinated care. Structured data capture for e-health interventions is important for driving insights and improving patient outcomes. This approach enables continuous learning and iteration, ensuring the delivery of the best possible care.

Breaking Down Stigma Through Innovation

One of the most significant barriers to accessing addiction treatment is the stigma associated with seeking help. Many people feel ashamed or embarrassed to admit that they have a problem, preventing them from accessing the support they need. Clean Slate Clinic’s virtual care model helps mitigate this issue by providing a more discreet and private way for individuals to seek treatment.

By offering telehealth services, Clean Slate Clinic minimises the need for patients to attend in-person appointments, which can often be a source of anxiety and discomfort. This approach enables patients to receive care from the comfort and privacy of their own homes, helping to reduce the stigma associated with addiction treatment. The virtual care model is designed to make accessing support easier, removing the barriers that frequently deter individuals from seeking help.

The Role of Telehealth in Modern Healthcare

Telehealth and telemedicine have emerged as crucial components of modern healthcare, offering solutions to longstanding challenges such as access and quality of care. Clean Slate Clinic’s virtual care model exemplifies the potential of telehealth to revolutionise addiction treatment. By providing remote access to services, the clinic can reach individuals who might otherwise be unable to receive support.

Telehealth also offers the flexibility needed to accommodate patients’ unique circumstances, making it easier for them to engage with treatment. This adaptability is essential in addiction treatment, where patients’ needs can vary significantly. The use of telehealth enables the provision of personalised care tailored to each patient’s situation, enhancing both the accessibilityand effectiveness of addiction treatment.

Creating a Unified Approach to Data Sharing

Interoperability and data sharing can be challenging, particularly in the context of electronic discharge summaries. These documents are essential for ensuring continuity of care between different healthcare providers but sharing them can be complicated by differing systems and standards. 

Standardising electronic discharge summaries and other medical records is critical for facilitating seamless data sharing. This standardisation ensures that healthcare providers have the necessary information to deliver comprehensive and coordinated care. A unified approach to data sharing is essential for fast-tracking the adoption of healthcare standards like FHIR, ultimately improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

Achieving World-Leading Outcomes in Addiction Treatment

Clean Slate Clinic has achieved world-leading outcomes in treating substance dependence, setting a new benchmark for addiction treatment. The clinic’s success is evidenced by its significantly lower relapse rates compared to traditional inpatient withdrawal programs. Clean Slate’s relapse rates range from 5% to 20% at three months, with even lower rates at one month (2%).

These impressive outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of Clean Slate’s virtual care model and highlight the potential for telehealth to transform addiction treatment. The clinic’s approach offers a faster, cheaper, and more effective alternative to traditional inpatient services, providing a viable solution for individuals seeking help. Pia acknowledges the clinic’s accomplishments, expressing pride in their role in establishing a fresh benchmark for addiction treatment and demonstrating the tangible impact of innovative approaches.

Building on Momentum for a Brighter Future

Clean Slate Clinic’s journey is a testament to the power of innovation and dedication in overcoming the challenges of addiction treatment. By leveraging technology and a passionate team, the clinic has developed a model that addresses the barriers to accessing care and provides world-leading outcomes. 

Looking to the future, Clean Slate Clinic has ambitious plans for expansion. The clinic aims to grow its services to meet the significant need for addiction treatment places, particularly in underserved communities and regional areas of Australia. Additionally, there are plans to take the Clean Slate model to other countries, providing a blueprint for accessible and effective addiction treatment worldwide.

The success of Clean Slate Clinic reminds us of the importance of embracing innovation in healthcare. By continually seeking new and better ways to deliver care, organisations can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those they serve. 

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