NAADAC’s Annual Conference & Hill Day gathers over 1,500 addiction treatment professionals in the Washington, DC area to learn about and advocate for the latest advancements in addiction recovery.
Earlier this month, I attended NAADAC’s 2024 Annual Conference & Hill Day in Washington, DC, where I got the chance to connect with over 1,500 addiction treatment professionals who gathered to learn about and advocate for the latest advancements in addiction recovery. The annual conference offered a great opportunity to explore how technology is helping practices deliver better outcomes.
In this recap, I’ll highlight two trending themes based on my time at the NAADAC 2024 Annual Conference & Hill Day.
What Were the Trending Topics at NAADAC 2024?
Streamlined Documentation & Clinical Summarization With Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Throughout the conference, I had the opportunity to speak with many addiction care professionals about their experience using AI and the potential benefits it offers. During these conversations, we discussed the importance of patient engagement, particularly being fully present during conversations with patients about trauma or personal matters. Having the ability to look someone in the eyes when they’re speaking, rather than writing or typing notes, is crucial to addiction recovery. AI is helping to improve these administrative processes by reducing or eliminating the burden of documentation and summarization for providers.
Tools like AI make it possible to record sessions with patients, receive quick summaries, be more engaged in conversations, and streamline note-taking—and healthcare professionals are starting to recognize the benefits it has on patient satisfaction and administrative tasks.
Virtual Care and Telehealth Services
Throughout sessions like “Smart Strategies to Work with Clients Using Telemental Health,” attendees discussed the importance of telehealth to promote more accessible addiction recovery treatment. Since the onset of COVID-19, telehealth services have taken the healthcare industry by storm, and have also paved the way for more accessible care.
In February of 2020, only 1% of the US population utilized telehealth services related to mental health and SUD diagnoses; by the end of 2021, the total usage rose significantly to 40% and continues to increase over time. In-person care may not always be feasible for patients, which is why supplemental options like telehealth and virtual care can transform the healthcare journey. Telehealth reduces travel and wait times, increases access for rural communities, provides additional collaboration opportunities for patients and providers, and increases provider capacity to care for additional patients.
By working with a dedicated EHR provider—like RXNT—addiction professionals have the opportunity to streamline virtual care with HIPPA-compliant scheduling, messaging, labs, video conference integrations, and more.
We’re already looking forward to next year’s NAADAC conference! Until then, you can get in touch with us or schedule a demo to learn more about our award-winning suite of healthcare software.
What is NAADAC’s Annual Conference & Hill Day?
NAADAC’s Annual Conference & Hill Day gathers over 1,500 addiction professionals in the Washington, DC area for six days of addiction-specific education. The event features immersive training sessions, advocacy on Capitol Hill, poster presentations, an exhibit hall, special events, networking opportunities, and more.
Learn more about NAADAC’s annual conference on their website.
