Telehealth Continues to Thrive

By Erin Massey, LCSW

 

Prior to the Pandemic, Telehealth services were not yet being highly used in the healthcare system.  As we all know, Telehealth during the Pandemic became an option when numbers of individuals being seen in- person were reduced in the hopes of curbing risk of exposure to Covid. During that time, both public and private insurances expanded their coverage to accommodate this further developing form of patient care. Tele-mental health services continue to be utilized at a higher rate post Covid. There has also been evidence that has presented suggesting the efficacy of virtual health for behavioral health conditions at not only the patient level, but also at both provider and systems levels as well.

 

Some examples in which Telehealth may continue to be convenient for some patients include issues with transportation, difficulties with finding childcare to attend an appointment, and also, a big one being, living in our rural areas where travel time is too long to drive to the clinic. Others may find this to be a cost effective form of treatment, in that they don’t need to take time away from work to attend an in person appointment. In my experience of providing telehealth services, I have found a greater amount of patients who have been able to access behavioral health services who otherwise may not have been able to under different circumstances.

 

Though there are many benefits to virtual behavioral health care, there have also been a number of barriers and challenges that presented themselves through the process as well.  A few barriers and challenges to accessing telehealth services from a patient’s point of view can include the need for reliable internet, finding private spaces to have the visit, difficulties utilizing and/or understanding virtual technologies, and the concerns for privacy and security.

 

If this has been something you have considered but are unsure if it is right for you, talk to your provider to see if it would be appropriate for your needs. Telehealth can be as effective as in- person care, and can provide an added convenience to our busy day-to-day lives.