Sonara Health Expands Remote Methadone Dosing Solution to Ohio Markets

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Mar 11, 2024, 10:22 ET

DAYTON, Ohio, March 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonara Health has partnered with BayMark Health Services — with funding from the nonprofit health plan CareSource — to make its remote dosing application available to eligible patients in Dayton and Amherst.

Despite the critical role technology can play in addressing the opioid crisis, behavioral health providers are rarely incentivized or empowered to adopt these technologies. This collaboration aims to change that, giving CareSource members access to Sonara's remote dosing technology as part of their opioid treatment program.

"CareSource is excited to partner with BayMark Health Services and Sonara Health. This partnership will increase access to methadone take-home doses, decreasing daily travel and giving members more time in their day," said Stephanie Stitt, director, behavioral health at CareSource Ohio. "CareSource is committed to addressing gaps in care for our members and supporting the behavioral health workforce. We look forward to seeing the positive impacts on members' lives."

The partnership makes Sonara available for two Ohio clinics owned by BayMark, the largest provider of medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders in North America.

"BayMark is excited to partner with Sonara Health to provide access to safe take-home dosing for many patients who might not qualify for extended take homes due to concerns for safety," said BayMark CEO Dave White. "We are grateful that SAMHSA developed extended take-home flexibilities for patients for whom the clinical team deems they can manage their medications safely. This product extends take-home flexibilities for some patients who might not qualify otherwise as our clinical team may use the product to monitor the patient at home and therefore become more confident that the patient will safely use their medications as prescribed."

Patients using Sonara can qualify for take-homes sooner and increase their number of take-homes throughout their treatment plan, which promotes recovery and reduces barriers to treatment.

With this partnership, Sonara is now available to patients in eleven states, with plans to continue expanding throughout 2024. Sonara is also preparing to launch at additional Ohio clinics this spring.

"We're always thrilled to bring Sonara's solution to more care teams and patients who need it," said Sonara Founder and CEO Michael Giles, MD. "BayMark will be an excellent partner for us, and we're grateful to CareSource for providing the funding to make this collaboration possible."

About Sonara Health: Sonara Health's remote dosing solution makes it easier for people with opioid use disorder to commit to their methadone treatment. The company's web-based application allows patients to record their take homes by scanning a QR code placed on their methadone bottles, and then recording a video of themselves dosing for their care team to review. Sonara was designed to build trust between OTP patients and their care teams, empowering clinics with insights to make informed treatment decisions, while also improving program retention rates and treatment outcomes.

About BayMark: BayMark Health Services is North America's largest provider of medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders, helping tens of thousands of individuals on their path to recovery every day.

About CareSource: CareSource is a nonprofit, nationally recognized managed care organization with over 2 million members. Headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, CareSource administers one of the largest Medicaid managed care plans in the U.S.. The organization offers health insurance, including Medicaid, Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicare Advantage and dual-eligible programs.

SOURCE Sonara Health