Integrated Healthcare Solutions Can Address the Ongoing Mental Health Crisis

 

Mental health is one of the least talked about aspects of healthcare, unfortunately. People are comfortable discussing about any accidents, injuries, or diseases that they might have suffered from. Moreover, companies too have policies in place to offer paid leaves for medical problems. The same can’t be said about mental health. In fact, it is a taboo subject, and those who have struggled with mental health issues often suffer social stigma. But integrated healthcare solutions can help change the conversation around the topic of mental health.

 

As the industry experiences increasing digitization, it continues to adopt innovative solutions to improve workflows and derive value for stakeholders. Some of those solutions working in tandem can help improve the attitudes surrounding mental health not only in the United States but across the world. One of the cornerstones of the integrative healthcare solutions that can uplift the mental health situation is telehealth. 

 

The United States suffers from a dearth of mental health professionals like psychiatrists and psychologists. In fact, nearly a third of the population of the entire country lives in regions that don’t have a single therapist. These people would need to travel far for therapy. But with telehealth, these people and everyone else can access mental care from the comfort and privacy of their houses. Integrated health care delivery is not only a possibility but also feasible when it comes to providing psychotherapy. Telehealth solutions integrated with an EHR, medical coding and billing software, coupled with appointment scheduling and payment solutions will enable therapists to see patients from virtually anywhere.

 

In the presence of comprehensive integrated medical solution information systems as mentioned above, the access to mental care rises dramatically. A person in another city or town would be able to book an appointment with a therapist using an app. Subsequently, he or she can go on to have a virtual consultation with the shrink using a smartphone or laptop and an internet connection. After the session, the patient will be billed and can make the payment remotely. The entire sequence of events mentioned is achievable without the doctor and patient being in the same city at the time. This tech-driven approach to mental health is sure to solve two problems - the lack of accessibility of therapists, and the attitude around seeking therapy.

 

As mentioned earlier, millions of Americans live in regions without a single therapist. Integrated healthcare solutions with telehealth applications can go a long way in solving that problem. Furthermore, the knowledge that they can access care from the privacy of their own homes is likely to encourage more people to take their mental health more seriously. People won’t be embarrassed to seek help anymore.

 

The advantages of such integrated health information systems were realized during the Covid-19 pandemic with the help of integrated medical data. The coronavirus forced everyone to remain indoors and a lot of people’s mental issues worsened as they lost their jobs and loved ones. The idea of seeing a therapist without even leaving the house was a boon for countless people in the United States and across the globe.