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Earlier this month, hundreds of behavioral health executives convened atBehavioral Health Tech 2024 with a shared passion for expanding access tomental healthcare through technology, health equity and innovation. As the CEOof TeleMed2U,I welcomed the chance to not only collaborate with my healthcareindustry peers to exchange ideas around how we break down traditionalbehavioral health care accessibility barriers once and for all, but also forthe opportunity to join Brooke Parish, HCSC, Colin LeClair, Connections HealthSolutions, Lorena Roth, Kaiser Permanente and Amy Hawthorne, Canyon on stagefor our panel discussion “From Crisis to Wellness: How Specialized Care CanDrive Outcomes.” During the session, we each drew from our unique roles in thehealthcare ecosystem and had an opportunity to present our views on howspecialized care is well positioned to drive clinical outcomes.
Behavioral Health Tech is a favorite show of mine not only because ofthe quality of the agenda and the spirited perspectives exchanged during thespeaking sessions but also for attendees' genuine commitment to improvingbehavioral healthcare delivery. Opinions on how we approach the issues maydiffer, but the end goal is a unified one, paving a better path for elevatedcare access for all, of which I firmly believe virtual specialized care shouldbe considered an essential element. In case you missed it, below I’ve shared asnapshot of my key takeaways from this year’s event.
Quality of Care Remains Critical to Early Intervention, ImprovedOutcomes
Unlike the scramble to find available treatment resources when abehavioral health crisis presents itself, high-quality care is often moreproactive, focusing on prevention and early intervention. By identifying mentalhealth issues early, professionals have a better chance of intervening beforesymptoms worsen. This can help reduce the severity of conditions, preventingthe escalation of issues and promoting better long-term outcomes forindividuals. Early intervention is particularly important in conditions likedepression, anxiety and substance use disorders, where it’s been proven thattimely treatment can alter the trajectory of the illness. Virtual specialistcare is poised to support these efforts, adding more providers into thebehavioral health workforce which can impact provider resource shortages,making more timely access to care a reality.
Ghost Networks will Continue to Haunt Inadequately Prepared Health Plans
Ghost networks occur when health plans inaccurately list providers intheir network directories when those providers no longer participate in theplan. The new class action lawsuit against Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of NewYork earlier this month should be a wake-up call for health plans who areincreasingly being scrutinized for the accuracy of their behavioral healthprovider networks. With growing financial and regulatory consequences on theline, healthcare organizations must make the health of their directories a toppriority. Adding more resources like specialist virtual providers is one stepto ensure that they are able to connect their members to the available carethey need, and quickly.
Measurement Based Care Is The Way Forward
Measurement-based care is already proving to be a powerful tool shapingthe future of behavioral health patient care delivery. More specifically, themodel empowers providers to make more informed, data-driven decisions,enhancing patient engagement, and ultimately leading to better outcomes bycontinuously adapting treatment plans to meet an individual’s needs, which inthe case of behavioral health specifically may evolve. This approach not onlysupports individualized treatment but also ensures that healthcare isevidence-based, efficient, and focused on achieving tangible improvements inpatients’ lives.
As stated by our National Director of Behavior Health Services, Dr.Rachel Rhodes has seen similar outcomes via Telemedicine. “The combination ofearly intervention, evidence base medicine practices and continuity of care isone of my passions, which is not easily accessible to a significant portion ofour population. Psychiatry as a field is often unavailable in many areas, butfinding a board-certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist is increasinglydifficult. Given the rise of mental health care needs post COVID and priordifficulties with establishing care, telemedicine is helping to eliminate whatwas previously a significant barrier via increased access to high quality andmeasure based care.”
Virtual Specialists’ Potential to Close Healthcare Accessibility Gaps isIncreasingly Being Realized
As behavioral healthcare accessibility issues, physician burnout andcare navigation challenges continue to plague the healthcare industry, virtualspecialized care is being increasingly credited for its ability to elevate howhealth plan members connect with available and high-quality behavioral healthresources, positively impacting outcomes and cost savings over time anderadicating traditional behavioral health care gaps. The offering can minimizeclinical workforce capacity challenges, eliminate potential network adequacyissues and ultimately elevate the ability of health plans to quickly access thespecialized care they require when and where it is needed.
Solving behavioral healthcare resource shortages won’t be easy, but Ihave confidence that with the right blend of technology and specialist careproviders, we are headed in the right direction. Interested in keeping theconversations going post-conference? Send me a DM and let’s connect!
