Shared Medical Appointments

A Shared Medical Appointment (SMA) or group follow-up appointment is a video visit that you attend with other Radiant Prime Recovery members, led by a medical provider and a behavioral health team member. 

The appointment will cover how everyone's medication is working, how your journeys are progressing, and offer additional support from Radiant Prime Recovery's comprehensive care team. 

Group follow-ups bring together three things that help you toward your recovery goals: 

1. Clinical Care, including medication management, that is evidence-based and effective
2. Support from the behavioral health team, who will help you develop coping tools
3. A sense of connection and community with your fellow Radiant Prime Recovery members

These components have been shown to help people stay in treatment and recovery, reducing the risk of relapse. The group setting can also provide additional points of view, and help members feel empowered to speak up. 

Radiant Prime Recovery's peer-led recovery groups are spaces for members to process emotions, learn about substance use disorders, and develop coping skills. These recovery groups usually have a topic or theme like grief, meditation, or celebrating milestones. 

Shared Medical Appointments include more intense behavioral health support and follow-up with your medical provider. You will hear from other members about their medical treatment, experience, side effects, and be able to ask your provider medical questions. You'll also be able to receive your prescription after the appointment, as clinically appropriate. 

Members are required to agree to the Group Rules, and staff verify the identity of each member at the beginning of the group appointment. Your camera will need to be on so that your identity can be verified. 

Shared medical appointments have been successful for people with many kinds of health concerns, from Type 2 Diabetes to cardiac rehabilitation to pregnancy. They are also being used to treat Substance Use Disorders. In the treatment of SUD, these visits are often referred to as "Group-Based Opioid Treatment (GBOT)". 

Yes, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) calls group visits "a proven, effective method for enhancing a patient's self-care, increasing patient satisfaction, and improving outcomes".