White Paper | Creating a Telebehavioral Health Strategy
Virtually Caring for Behavioral Health
Telebehavioral health has been accepted as a proven medium for increasing access to psychiatric, mental and behavioral healthcare by connecting individuals to providers through video calls. Today, in-home, mobile, outpatient and primary care models of telebehavioral health allow for community-based care that addresses behavioral health issues before they reach critical levels. On-demand models of care offer timely services to individuals in the emergency department (ED), psychiatric crisis centers or in the community through mobile crisis teams. There are more patients, employers, health systems and payers employing telehealth, as well as more providers becoming involved in telehealth work in a range of fields, like psychiatry.
The first thing to ask yourself may be, “What are my organization’s overall strategic priorities?” Example questions may include:
What is my vision for the next [x] number of years?
How do I evaluate progress toward that goal?
How does telehealth already fit in or how could it?
Who is responsible for tracking the telehealth industry within my organization?
How do I share and apply that information across my organization?
If you are in crisis, call 988 to talk with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, text HOME to 741741 to connect to a free crisis counselor, or go to your nearest emergency room.