Columbia Memorial joins with aptihealth

Partnership with service app will allow patients access to telehealth care

Columbia Memorial Health is partnering with aptihealth, a behavioral health service app, to bring patients in Columbia, Greene, and Dutchess counties more comprehensive health care.

The new partnership will allow CMH patients to immediately access telehealth mental health care via the aptihealth app and benefit from aptihealth’s platform which encourages regular communication between a patient’s primary care doctor and their mental health specialist.

CMH already pairs their patients with behavioral health specialists who work with primary care providers to screen patients and to coordinate outpatient services, counseling, or medication management, but the pandemic stretched CMH’S resources thin, said Dr. Ronald Pope, vice president of medical services and care centers at CMH.

“What’s happened with the pandemic is there has been a huge surge in anxiety and depression and other mental health conditions and a huge increase in need for services,” Pope said. “Aptihealth provides a supplemental service and a gap stabilizer (for our patients).”

Now, instead of having patients wait two or three months to be seen, aptihealth can take them directly, Pope said. “Hopefully no patient has to wait,” Pope said.

Aptihealth partners with 13 practice with the Columbia Memorial Health system, CDPHP, seven practices with Glens Falls Hospital, and 19 independent practices in the region.

Aptihealth is also available through self-referral directly on the website.