Know What to Expect
Each treatment plan is uniquely based on your preferences and goals, but there are many common threads in our care model. Learn about them here, then
Right Now
Ourera is here when you need us, and for many who are considering starting treatment that means right away.
We make it as simple and convenient as possible to get started without delay. We use a “low-threshold” approach that starts by collecting only the minimal amount of information necessary to treat you safely and effectively. We fill in the gaps later as you’re feeling able.
Start by providing your basic contact information, insurance information, and your own description of the service you’d like to receive using our secure enrollment form.
We’ll verify eligibility, then you’ll receive a link to join our virtual waiting room, a link to your provider’s online profile, and an estimated wait time to meet your provider. You’re eligible if you’re a California resident who is 16 or older, we accept your insurance or you agree to self-pay, and you have medical needs related to substance use or addiction.
You’ll also receive a link to our secure online forms for treatment consent and health history, but you don’t have to complete these before your first visit.
Our goal is to respond to your initial enrollment request and begin your initial provider visit all within 2 hours. In some cases it could take up to one business day.
At Your First Visit
Your visit will be with your medical provider who will work with you to learn your needs, your preferences, and to begin your treatment.
You’ll use the link we provide to join our virtual waiting room. If you’re unable to use video or prefer to stay off-camera for the first visit, you may use audio-only. Once your provider welcomes you to the virtual consultation room, expect to discuss the following:
Your goals for treatment, and your history of substance use and any prior treatment
How our program works, and verbal consent to receive treatment by telemedicine
All current medications that you are taking or prescribed
Your health history
Your provider will discuss your treatment options, and together you’ll choose the option that best fits your needs, resources, and preferences.
You can ask questions and provide additional information at anytime during the visit. Then, your provider will schedule your follow-up, and you may leave the visit while your provider finishes your care summary and submits any orders, prescriptions, instructions, and referrals that were discussed as part of your plan.
The initial visit most often takes about 20 minutes.
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If you’ll be starting a new medication for opioid use disorder, like buprenorphine with naloxone (Suboxone), or naltrexone (Vivitrol), much of the initial visit will be spent planning how to safely and comfortably start the medication at home. Your provider will ensure that you feel confident in the plan and your ability to succeed. The follow-up visit will usually be scheduled promptly, often between 1 to 5 days after the initial visit to check-in as you’re adjusting to the new medication.
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If you are current drinking or have recently stopped drinking, expect the initial visit to focus on withdrawal risk and safety planning. Your provider will assess whether or not we can safely treat your withdrawal at home, and what treatment will be most effective. Your provider will ensure you feel confident in understanding when it’s safe to continue treating withdrawal at home, and when you may need additional care (and how to access that care). The follow-up visit often will be schedule promptly, between 1 and 5 days from the initial visit.
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For benzodiazepine and sedative dependence, the initial visit will focus on timeframe: how and when to transition to a long-acting treatment, and your goals for tapering down and off. You’ll discuss any recommended treatment changes or additions to improve the likelihood of meeting your goals. Follow-up timing varies, and tends to be 1 to 2 weeks from the initial visit.
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Expect the initial visit to focus on collaboration and referrals. Effective treatment for stimulant use disorder requires integrated behavioral care that is not available directly from Ourera, so your provider will ensure you have a plan to access the 2 types of behavioral treatment that we know work well: contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy. You’ll select an accessible outside program that’s in your insurance network. You’ll also begin identifying ways to improve your likelihood of success and optimize your comfort through any withdrawal period. Timing of the follow-up visit varies, and is often within 1 to 3 weeks of the initial visit.
After Your First Visit
After your first visit is complete and you have your care plan and any prescriptions and orders in-hand, we hope you can breath a sigh of relief. Your pharmacy will begin work filling any electronic prescriptions sent, and in the meantime, this is a perfect time to complete the standard parts of enrollment that some programs might require before the first visit. Ensure you complete your consent to treatment and information release forms, then a health history questionnaire. This information allows your Ourera provider to build on your initial care plan and consider improvements based on a more complete understanding of your goals and needs.
You’ll also register for Elation Patient Passport, your secure portal for accessing your health record and for secure messaging with your Ourera provider. Secure messaging through Elation Patient Passport is how you get in touch with us and your provider in between visits. You can message securely with your provider directly without working through gatekeepers of any sort. This is the preferred way to ask questions, schedule or reschedule follow-ups, and let us know how you’re doing between follow-ups. You can also view your visit summaries, orders, and any informational resources your provider sent to you securely through Elation Patient Passport.
Continuing Care
You and your provider will continue to follow-up closely, often every 1 - 2 weeks, until you’re feeling stable on treatment. For most patients, feeling stable means being physically comfortable, being protected from relapse through effective control of cravings and triggers, and also being confident in the plan of action if a slip or relapse does occur.
It’s common to achieve early stability within a month of the initial visit, but this varies. With each visit, we’ll start shifting toward a longer-term focus by learning more about your broader health history and goals. As this shift develops, we’ll also begin incorporating other recommendations for general wellness, behavioral health, and other chronic care as needed to optimize your likelihood of long term success. Above all, your goals and preferences always inform the direction of your care. Ourera can remain focused solely on your addiction or dependence if you prefer, or we can play a broader role by addressing behavioral and general medical needs.
Visits continue once each month for most patients who remain stable with their addiction or dependence in remission. For patients with addiction, we avoid outdated concepts like “graduation” or “cure,” and instead focus on sustainable control to keep you safe and healthy long-term. That means that care continues for as long as it’s benefiting you, and it’s normal to continue for years or lifelong.
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Treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) is recommended to continue for as long as it’s benefitting you, which is indefinite for most patients. Uncontrolled OUD is deadly, and we know that survival and positive health outcomes are strongly associated with longer treatment duration. Ourera can be your long-term home for OUD care, and we’ll never suggest that you stop or leave care after some arbitrary timeframe.
Some patients choose to work toward safe dose reduction or transition to long-acting monthly injectable medication after achieving longer-term stability, and we’re glad to be your partner toward these goals. -
Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is recommended to continue for as long as it’s benefitting you, which is indefinite for most patients.
Your goals for treatment may be complete abstinence rom drinking, or in some cases improved control of drinking. In either case, Ourera can be your long-term home for AUD care, and we’ll never suggest that you stop or leave care after some arbitrary timeframe.
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Benzodiazepine and other sedative dependence is unique, and often patients will complete a long-acting medication taper, for instance, within 6-12 months. Following taper completion, Ourera can continue working with you on sustainable management of behavioral health needs or general medical needs. In these cases, routine follow-ups may be less frequent.
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Treatment of Stimulant Use Disorder (OUD) is recommended to continue for as long as it’s benefitting you, which is indefinite for most patients.
Some degree of stimulant withdrawal can persist for 6 months or longer, and intensive behavioral treatment typically continues for 6 months, then we shift into long term control and relapse prevention. Because there’s no single medication that’s known to control Stimulant Use Disorder effectively, instead the focus is on ensuring optimal behavioral and general medical health through addressing other health needs.
Ourera can be your ongoing home for care of Stimulant Use Disorder, and we’ll never suggest that you stop or leave care after some arbitrary timeframe.
Enough waiting,
Ourera is here for you now.
If Ourera’s approach could be right for you, it just takes 3 minutes to submit your basic contact and insurance information using our secure form. You’ll receive your invitation to our virtual office and could be seeing your specialist provider within hours.
We’re committed to your wellbeing, but you make no ongoing commitment to us by completing an initial visit.