Mental Health Visits Will Never Be the Same — Here’s Why

Is telehealth the preferred delivery method for mental health?

 

The global pandemic, along with advances in communication technology, has changed the way patients access mental health care. Today, patients can — and some prefer to — book telehealth appointments for their mental health needs.

Mental health treatment, like any area of healthcare, has seen numerous advancements. But one thing that has remained the same since the days of Freud is the cliche of the patient lying on a sofa, talking. More specifically, patients have always preferred to see their mental health provider in person, and for a long time, this was not expected to change. But the twin forces of the global pandemic and advances in communication technology have changed all that.
 

Instead of compulsory in-person appointments, mental health care may be experiencing a sea change, where telehealth becomes the new standard. And there’s reason to believe this would be a change for the better.

One reason telehealth failed to be widely implemented prior to the pandemic is that reimbursement of these services was long restricted. But safety measures associated with the pandemic have facilitated changes to the delivery system for mental health services in the United States. These changes include Medicare waiving long-standing restrictions on the use of telehealth services for mental health care delivery and changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that now allow individuals to receive care over the telephone — which includes video chats on a smartphone — according to Vox.

In the early stages of the pandemic, with stay-at-home orders and restrictions on in-person gatherings, mental health care couldn’t be delivered in person. Virtual appointments were the only option. However, telehealth has gained a foothold, and the benefits are becoming clear. For example, if rules governing how healthcare can be delivered continue to support telehealth, it could be a boon to underserved communities. This has been the case for rural areas in particular, where mental health care is difficult to access. For these communities, telehealth represents a significant opportunity, and there is reason to believe that these changes will remain permanent. 

Although virtual healthcare use rates for telemedicine services have returned to pre-pandemic levels, the use of mental health services through telemedicine remains high, according to a new study by health data analytics company Springbuk. Additionally, many providers still offer telemedicine options over two years after the start of the pandemic. In fact, 97% percent of organizations in Springbuk’s 2022 Healthiest Employers survey reported offering telemedicine opportunities to employees. 

The rise in telemedicine appointments peaked in April 2020, with 95.5 visits per 1,000 members. Those numbers subsequently declined to, 44.4 visits per 1,000 members by June 2021. However, mental health use rates remained relatively stable throughout 2021, with 26.4 visits per 1,000 by June, down only 20% from the spike in April 2020. 

The relative stability of telemedicine visits for mental health suggests that virtual delivery of this care has been normalized, and will continue to be a preferred mode of delivery for some patients. This conclusion is buttressed by the fact that in June 2021, the number of virtual mental health appointments exceeded the number of all other types of telemedicine.

Not only does telemedicine appear to be a mental health care solution for the long term, evidence also suggests that this mode of delivery produces the right outcomes. “Research to date shows mental health care delivered remotely … is effective,” according to The American Psychological Association. The APA also notes that “Psychologists — along with psychiatrists, social workers, and others — have built a substantial literature base on telehealth interventions that work for a variety of problems and populations.” In other words, the evidence is mounting, and it shows telehealth is an effective means of delivering mental health care.

Flexibility will be key to healthcare delivery going forward. By offering robust telehealth options for mental health, a wider range of individuals will be able to access high-quality care, offering hope and building resiliency during a most turbulent time.

Jennifer Jones, MSM, RD, Sr. Director of Health Strategy at Springbuk. She is an experienced healthcare professional with a background in clinical dietetics, wellness programming, and employer health. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked in various settings, including healthcare systems, occupational health organizations, and health and welfare benefits advisory firms. After working directly with patients and employees, Jennifer joined Springbuk, where she serves as the Sr. Director of Health Strategy Services, and turned her focus to population and employer health to achieve a greater impact on health outcomes. Visit www.springbuk.com Connect Jennifer Jones Follow @SpringbukHealth