New Study Confirms Recovery Connect App Improves Outcomes in Opioid Treatment

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Community Medical Services Clinics saw up to 21% higher retention and patients linked to counselors through the app were 55% more likely to remain in care at 30 days

PHOENIX, Oct. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A newly completed randomized controlled trial has found that Recovery Connect — the first app of its kind in opioid treatment — significantly boosts 30-day retention and continuity of care for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD).

Developed by Bright Therapeutics in partnership with Community Medical Services (CMS), a national addiction treatment provider, Recovery Connect supports patients in real time through bi-directional communication with counselors, therapeutic check-ins, and access to coping tools. While medication-assisted treatment in conjunction with counseling services is proven effective, keeping patients engaged in care remains one of the greatest challenges in all modalities of addiction treatment.

"One of our core values is that we are evangelists grounded in science and evidence. We wanted to tackle this challenge and find a unique, evidence-based solution," said CMS CEO, Nick Stavros.  "After a five-year search and evaluation of more than ten digital solutions, we found that Bright's Recovery Path platform, customized as Recovery Connect, was the only one capable of meeting this challenge."

Recovery Connect is now in use at all 70+ CMS clinics by more than 30,000 patients nationwide.

"This work represents the best of what's possible when innovative care providers and digital health teams come together around a shared purpose – to leave no patient behind in treatment," said Jenna Tregarthen, CEO of Bright Therapeutics. "When technology and real human connection align, we can move the needle on one of the toughest challenges in behavioral health."

The joint Bright and CMS Science teams are now proud to release the results of a rigorous, randomized controlled study. "These outcomes speak to the power of digital connection in behavioral health care," said Dr. Robert Sherrick, Chief Science Officer for CMS. "This isn't about replacing the human element — it's about strengthening it. Recovery Connect helps us meet people where they are."

People living with OUD often face daily challenges that can pull them away from care. Recovery Connect helps bridge those gaps by putting support in the palm of their hands. "We knew from looking at the data that the impact of Recovery Connect was there, and we wanted to conduct a rigorous study that proved it once and for all," said Dr. Jorge Palacios, Chief Science Officer at Bright Therapeutics and lead study author. "I am so pleased with the results, which are a testament to all the hard work done by our clinical teams in conjunction with the app developers."

 A summary of the study findings is provided on the next page; full study findings are available in pre-print at the Journal of Medical Internet Research: https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/83346.

For more information about the research on Recovery Connect, please contact Dr. Palacios [email protected] or Dr. Sherrick [email protected].

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Study Findings

In the new Supported Medication-Assisted Recovery Trial for Opioid Use Disorder (SMART-OUD), researchers found Recovery Connect helped patients stay in treatment longer, take their medication more consistently and feel more supported. Key results included the following:

Just offering the app to patients made a difference – even before they started using it.

• Clinics saw a 25% increase in treatment retention after providers were trained in the app's use and patients were told it was available to them
• Patients from clinics who had implemented the app had 2 fewer missed treatment days, on average, in their first 30 days of methadone treatment

Patients who linked with their counselor through the app early in treatment yielded even more substantial improvements.

• Linked patients were 55% more likely to remain in treatment at 30 days, and had higher number of daily doses taken in the first 3, 7 and 30 days
• The absolute difference in 30-day retention was 9% in favor of those who linked on the app

Patients who actively used the app within the first week of treatment significantly multiplied its effectiveness.

• Patients who engaged with the app's tools and messaging features were at least twice as likely to stay in treatment than those who did not
• Retention of engaged patients improved by more than 15%
• The more patients used the app, the better the results

About Community Medical Services
Community Medical Services (CMS) is a leading provider of opioid treatment services with a mission to save lives, support recovery and strengthen communities. CMS offers compassionate, evidence-based care through a network of programs designed to meet the unique needs of individuals and families impacted by OUD. To learn more, visit communitymedicalservices.org.

About Bright Therapeutics
Bright Therapeutics equips behavioral health treatment providers with diagnostically specialized digital tools that empower patients and clinicians to do their best work—together. Our suite of evidence-based products for substance use disorders, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety has supported the recovery journeys of over 3 million people across thousands of treatment centers. Designed to integrate seamlessly into clinical workflows, Bright's tools enhance therapeutic connection, personalize care, and extend support beyond the therapy room.

SOURCE Community Medical Services