Telemedicine companies that have been landing a flurry of new contracts with employers and insurers to provide less expensive and more convenient medical consultations with physicians are now adding mental health services for their customers. MDLive, Teladoc and American Well are among the telehealth firms getting into the business of offering access to psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists via smartphone, tablet and computer as the nation grapples with a rising rate of suicides, opioid addiction and other mental health issues. The companies see a huge growth opportunity, with more Americans suffering mental health conditions than common medical conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Meanwhile, less than 50% of Americans who are prescribed medications to treat mental health conditions take them as directed, if at all, according to industry reports and Walgreens Boots Alliance . Teladoc is among the telemedicine companies pushing into mental health services, offering... [+] consultations with therapies, psychiatrists and psychologists via computer, smartphone and tablet. (Teladoc photo) “Every year, nearly one in four adults will deal with a mental health disorder, yet less than half of these individuals will actually receive treatment,” said Zereana Jess-Huff, vice president of behavioral health at American Well. “This statistic is further complicated by a national shortage of available psychologists and psychiatrists. Behavioral healthcare is in desperate need of real solutions and we believe that ‘telemental’ health can bridge that gap.” The push by these companies into telemedicine, or telehealth, comes as insurance companies and government health programs provide more reimbursement for online healthcare services including video consultations. That is also the case in mental health with 48 state Medicaid programs reimbursing for “some level” of telemedicine for behavioral health services, American Well executives said. Teladoc, which boasts the largest network of healthcare telehealth providers, late last year launched a “business-to-business” behavioral health program to 6,000 employers and health plans. Meanwhile, who have completed “more than 1 million asynchronous texting sessions per quarter,” the company said. “Behavioral health is the logical next step in providing telemedicine services, as the primary modality is talk therapy, which requires only the ability for the patient and provider to speak by video or phone,” said Julian Cohen, president, Teladoc Behavioral Health. “If you look at today’s market and the proliferation of technology becoming commonplace, it’s a natural extension for telebehavioral services to fill the gaps in access to quality behavioral health services.” Aside from employers, insurers and consumers, telemedicine companies are also working with other providers of medical care. Walgreens, for example, signed a deal earlier this year to provide its customers access to more than 1,000 licensed therapists and psychiatrists through a partnership with Breakthrough, a subsidiary of MDLive. Walgreens nearly two years ago ago began a relationship with MDLive to provide customers with around-the-clock access to physicians. MDLive acquired Breakthrough in 2014 and has since expected its services to all 50 states from just 10 when the company was purchased. “With Breakthrough, we have expanded the breadth of our offerings and our geographic footprint, and enhanced our presence in the telebehavioral market,” Randy Parker, founder and chief executive officer of MDLive, said. “This combination strengthens our ability to serve patients across the spectrum of medical and behavioral healthcare.”
Telemedicine firms are adding mental health services to their remits as another way of providing convenient and cost-effective consultations to their customers. Companies including MDLive, Teladoc and American Well are now offering access to psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists via computer, smartphone and tablet. They have a growth opportunity in the fact that there are more Americans experiencing mental health issues than common conditions such as heart diseases and diabetes. This month, American Well is launching a new "telepsychiatry" service, designed to bridge the gap between growing demand for mental health services and a national shortage of psychologists and psychiatrists. The growth of telemedicine coincides with an increase in reimbursements by insurance companies for online healthcare services, including "telemental" health.