Accessing Telehealth Services
The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of things in health care, including sparking an explosion in telehealth or telemedicine services.
In this way of delivering health care, providers and patients connect via secure software that allows them to chat, video chat and talk via a computer, tablet or smartphone. Patients can connect from their home or office, and providers from theirs. This reduces time off and transportation costs, and, of course, exposure to illness for both patient and provider.
Mental health is one of the areas to see a huge growth in telehealth providers. Many people the U.S. lack access to adequate mental health services — more than half of U.S. counties have no psychiatrists — and telehealth can help cure that problem.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness said that, because of COVID-19, the federal government and insurance plans expanded access to telehealth services, including mental health, for millions of Americans. The success of telehealth during the pandemic points to a bright future for both providers and patients in the telemedicine space.
“Patients can meet with us in their car on a lunch break, which is wonderful,” Dr. Paula Zimbrean, a Yale Medicine psychiatrist said. “This is all about expanding access, and it achieves that. Plus, there are a lot of follow-up visits that can be done like this, and hopefully elements of telehealth stay with us.”
Telehealth is a remarkable advance in treatment, but it should be noted that it’s not perfect for every situation. For instance, family crises, suspected abuse, suicidal ideation need in-person visits. And some therapeutic techniques don’t translate as well over the screen.
“There’s something called ‘therapeutic silence,’ and it doesn’t feel the same way over a screen,” Yale Child Study Center child psychologist Paige Lembeck said.
But most providers see telehealth as here to stay, even after the pandemic abates.
“It’s much easier for people to schedule a visit and they don’t have to drive there and then wait to be seen,” Yale’s Paul Desan said. “I don’t think the mental health system will ever go back to all in-person sessions as long as the insurers keep paying for it.”