Get Buprenorphine in Alabama–Via Telemedicine (TeleMAT)

The clinic is located in Birmingham, AL. After your first telemedicine appointment with us, your second appointment needs to be in-person as per Alabama law. 

Medication assisted treatment is an effective strategy to treat opioid use disorder (in combination with counseling and behavioral therapy). The most promising medication used for MAT is buprenorphine: it treats withdrawal symptoms, cravings, as well as pain and has been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of opioid addiction and dependency. Patients are often able to live normal lives with this medication, without the need to go to methadone clinics every morning.

Every online consultation only costs $75 without insurance–no hidden fees. If you have insurance, you can submit the encounter summary to your insurer and in most cases you just pay their co-pay. If you plan to not use any insurance when you pick up your medication at the pharmacy, our addiction specialists can provide you with a special coupon that makes it more affordable (depending on the pharmacy you use, on average between $100-150 per month).

Only very few medical doctors in the United Stated are licensed and are therefore allowed to prescribe buprenorphine (the most effective medication to treat opioid use disorder). And with the growing opioid epidemic affecting millions of Americans, there are just not enough MAT clincics and opioid treatment centers available to provide this desperately needed service. QuickMD is trying to fill this void by hiring specialists who are able to bring MAT directly to you–to make this the least disruptive to your life.

Buprenorphine–when prescribed and taken correclty–has been shown to significantly lower the chance of drug use, overdoses, relapse, while improve patient survival. It leads to a significantly higher ability to gain and maintain employment. In order words: MAT can help you turn your life around and live a normal life again.

Yes, our licensed QuickMD specialists are able to initiate medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with buprenorphine–called ‘Induction’–when indicated. The initial consultation in the ‘Induction Phase’ will happen over video, and your first prescriptions will have a lower quantity of tablets–no more than a week supply–in order to closely observe the individual effects of the medication on you and to find your optimal dose. Once the medication has been titrated to the optimal dose, usually after two to three consultations, we will be able to space out the consultations to a monthly basis (with a month supply of buprenorphine–the maximum amount as per the guidelines of SAMHSA of the Department of Health and Human Services).

Your pharmacy will receive the electronic prescription within minutes after the consultation, and depending on the individual pharmacy, it will usually take around ~20-30 minutes for them to get your medication ready for pick-up, unless the pharmacy has to order it. At times the pharmacist will need to verify the prescription individually with the QuickMD provider, which may delay things. 

Buprenophine is highly effective in treating opioid use disorder. It has been shown to successfully treat withdrawal symptoms, significantly improve patient survival, minimize cravings and prevent relapses. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with buprenorphine should always be combined with counseling and behavioral therapy and our doctors will give you resources for that when needed.

The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic affecting millions of Americans, and killing tens of thousands each year–with no end in sight. The majority of people with opioid use disorder (OUD) do not have access to treatment services. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with buprenorphine is an important part of the solution to combat the opioid crisis, and the federal government and DEA acknowledge the urgency to increase access to MAT. The DEA therefore allows and encourages MAT to be also provided online, by qualified addiction specialists, using telemedicine technology. QuickMD is trying to fill this void by providing broad affordable and convenient access to high-quality addiction services.

Buprenorphine was shown to be safer than methadone, even at higher doses, because it only works to a certain degree like an opioid but at the same time also acts like the opposite, preventing some of the bad effects of opioids. Compared to methadone, it treats opioid withdrawal more quickly and it is easier to taper. There is also less of a public stigma associated with it than methadone. And finally, buprenorphine does not requre the patient to go to special methadone clinics each day. Of course, our doctors will be happy to go over the pros and cons of each available therapy with you.