People are busier than ever before and the stress, strain, and sleep deprivation that comes with the hustle and bustle can be really detrimental to mental health. The fast pace of modern life also makes finding time to address those mental health issues a real challenge. Fortunately, healthcare is modernizing too. Telehealth mental health services allow patients to connect with doctors and other medical providers remotely via phone or computer screen, phone call, or in some cases, even text message. While the convenience of telehealth is undeniable, whether telehealth is effective for mental health treatment is an important question to ask.
How does telehealth work?
Telehealth, which is also used interchangeably with ‘telemedicine’ and ‘e-health’, is the use of electronic-based communication and information sharing to facilitate long-distance health care. Using devices like cell phones and computers, patients can access medical attention without having to physically go to a doctor or therapist’s office.
Benefits of telehealth
Strides in technological advancements have made it possible to accomplish many common reasons for needing to see a doctor without having to leave their home. Patients can explain their symptoms or health concerns, receive a diagnosis or prescription, get medical supervision for specific medications, obtain a referral, or simply complete a routine check-up all from a screen or phone. Virtual health care also offers the same privacy protections as in-person doctor’s visits and is often covered by health insurance as well.
Drawbacks of telehealth
Yet, there are a few limitations to telemedicine’s effectiveness. It’s not a viable option for medical procedures like surgery or blood tests. Depending on where your provider is licensed, they won’t be allowed to see you if you’re initiating the session from a state where they’re not licensed to practice. A provider may also be subject to restrictions on what types of medications they can prescribe in a virtual session.
Why virtual mental health care is so effective
Many of the limitations are related to physical health care, which is more dependent on in-person visits to address physical ailments and provide hands-on intervention. Mental health care, on the other hand, rarely requires in-person visits, making telehealth particularly well-suited to meeting the needs of both patients and mental health providers.
Connections are just as meaningful
Telehealth makes it possible to have real-time consultations which are crucial in recreating the sense of intimacy and trust established in the traditional in-person therapist or counseling setting. Body language, tone, and inflection are other important nonverbal cues that can still be conveyed despite the parties not being in the same room.
A study compared the outcomes of mental health patients who attended in-patient treatment versus those who participated in remote treatment. The findings showed that there weren’t any significant differences after nearly 1-year of treatment, even with consideration of age, gender, and level of care. Both groups reported a reduction in symptoms as well as self-reported improvements in their quality of life, demonstrating that by large, telehealth mental health services are just as effective as in-person therapy.
Ease of maintaining communication
Telehealth also allows for asynchronous connection which is important for keeping in touch outside of treatment sessions. This includes things like access to messaging platforms to maintain appointments or provide quick check-ins, as well as managing prescriptions.
The nature of virtual mental health care (all the apps and programs involved in maintaining patient privacy and facilitating sessions) makes it easy to stay in touch and handle many of the practical aspects of care, often in a single platform. It also lends itself to patients feeling more connected to their providers and providing the comfort of knowing that they are only a few clicks away.
Overcome barriers to mental health treatment
In addition to being highly convenient, telehealth is a great option for mental health care in that it naturally overcomes many common barriers to treatment.
One of the most common is logistics. Meeting with a therapist in person might require leaving your job early, finding childcare, and dealing with traffic there and back. Telehealth can mean meeting with a therapist in the comfort of your home or during your lunch break — potentially saving several hours a week.
Another common barrier: social stigma. Being able to meet with a mental health care provider in the privacy of a location of a person’s choosing eliminates the fear of being “caught” getting help.
Telehealth is revolutionizing mental healthcare
Telehealth is not a one-size-fits-all healthcare solution, nor does it mean that you’ll never have to step foot into a doctor’s office again. As illustrated above, there are several use cases for telehealth that are on-par or even superior to in-person visits, but there are equally as many reasons why telehealth is unable to entirely replace going to the doctor. Contact us today to learn more about mental health treatment options in Port St. Lucie, FL.
Michaela Welk, LMHC
Bunny Berman
Tank
Richard E. LoSardo, MD
Christopher Payne
Bernard Benjamin
Tiffany Bellino