Using a secure telehealth platform, providers can evaluate, diagnose, and treat a wide range of chronic and acute conditions. While telehealth technology has been used for many years, only recently have providers realized the benefits of telehealth for treating mental and behavioral conditions.
Patients Living in Rural Areas Have Limited Access to Healthcare
It’s well known that patients living in rural and remote parts of the country do not have the same access to care as those living in urban communities. These individuals often live far away from their nearest clinic. With so many people needing to visit the same provider, it can take weeks or months to get an appointment. Even those that secure an appointment typically have to wait a considerable amount of time to see their provider. Another issue, many people living in rural areas do not have access to transportation, making reaching the clinic almost impossible. These difficulties lead many rural area residents to forgo regular checkups and preventative care. Unfortunately, this increases the chance of major healthcare problems.
Increasing access to Mental & Behavioral Health Specialists
The National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) estimates that 1 in every 4 Americans experience mental health issues each year. This totals more than 40 million people annually. Without proper treatment, mental health issues can impact mood and behavior. They can affect productivity at school and work. Over time, mental illness can impact physical health as well. It’s important that individuals experiencing mental health issues like depression and anxiety seek help as soon as possible. Unfortunately, rural Americans often find they do not have access to mental and behavioral health specialists.
Thankfully, telehealth is bridging the gap and bringing much needed mental health services to individuals living in rural areas. Through a secure Internet connection, patients can speak with a qualified mental or behavioral health specialist. Depending on the patient’s needs, the type of services required, and the availability of telecommunications technology, patients can connect with providers from their home or office, hospital or clinic, through a mobile application, or through a remote patient monitoring program.
Using telehealth technology, providers can evaluate and diagnose patients. They can treat patients through talk therapy, medication-assisted therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and prolonged exposure therapy. Telehealth can also be used for medication management and to deliver provider education.
Telemedicine Solutions for Providers
Providers looking to add telehealth services to their practice should take some time to locate a quality telehealth solution. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) have developed special recommendations and programs for mental health providers considering adding tele-mental and tele-behavioral services.
Let’s Talk Interactive provides telehealth solutions for providers across a wide range of industries. Our customized, HIPAA-compliant telehealth solution allows providers to increase the level of care they’re able to provide. In addition to performing telehealth appointments and evaluations, providers can complete necessary workflows from the user-friendly platform.
Please contact us for more information about our telemedicine solutions for mental and behavioral health providers.