Addiction recovery provider debuts Indiana health care clinic for clients’ use | Health & Science

A national addiction recovery provider has chosen Indiana as one of two states for a pilot program that provides existing clients with medical care for some common issues, including sore throats and sinus infections.

Groups Recover Together operates opioid addiction treatment centers in 14 states, including Indiana, where it has 28 offices. The local center is at 3282 Mallard Cove Lane, off West Jefferson Boulevard near Covington Plaza.

Angie Vogt, a nurse practitioner, is the organization’s medical director for Indiana and Florida. She lives in Bloomington and sees patients exclusively through telehealth visits.

Groups Recover Together addiction recovery meetings are both in person and virtual, an approach that proved so successful during the coronavirus pandemic that it became the organization’s standard.

Morgan Frederick, the organization’s regional vice president of Indiana, said the offices serve as hubs “where members can attend group sessions, meet with their care team – who often work out of the offices – pick up supplies or connect with local resources.”

Through the new clinic, Vogt is able to provide care for coughs, congestion, rashes, upset stomachs, dental pain, muscle or joint pain, birth control, urinary tract infections, erectile dysfunction and hair loss. She also can order refills for existing prescriptions including antidepressants and blood pressure medications.

Receiving timely care is important, she said.

“When all of us … we don’t feel good … then everything in life becomes more difficult, including recovery,” Vogt said.

Groups Recover Together clients are more likely to neglect medical conditions until they become emergencies. That’s because people in opioid addiction treatment have more obstacles to receiving routine health care than the general population, Vogt said.

They are more likely to be unemployed and lack health insurance, a primary care provider and reliable transportation, she said. Even those with insurance coverage can struggle to cover the co-pay required at walk-in clinics, Vogt said.

What’s more, she said, the organization’s clients often have had traumatic encounters with medical professionals when they were actively using opioids.

Offering virtual visits eliminates the need for transportation. And as for financial matters, the recovery center employs staff that works with clients to help them qualify for Medicaid or other insurance programs, Vogt said. When that effort fails, they can access some grant funds, she added.

Seeking care from a provider who knows about the patient’s opioid abuse background can also be less intimidating because no explanations are necessary, Vogt said.

Clients are prescribed suboxone as part of their medication-assisted treatment.

“Recovery is a lifetime thing, for sure,” she said. “It’s a chronic medical condition that doesn’t go away.”

Clinic care became available in Indiana on June 30. So far, the effort is “going great,” Vogt said.

“We have a lot of interest,” she added. “The appointments are nearly full in Indiana.”