Charleston, WV – Saint Francis Hospital, part of Thomas Health, recently launched a new outpatient telepsychiatry program to increase access to psychiatric appointments for people in the Charleston community seeking mental health and substance use treatment. The telepsychiatry program is launched in partnership with InSight, a national telepsychiatry service provider organization.
Telepsychiatry is the delivery of psychiatry through real time videoconferencing. It is proven to be an effective form of care delivery and a convenient, cost-effective way to safely expand psychiatric support without the challenge of staffing an in-person psychiatry provider.
Telepsychiatry Program at Saint Francis Hospital insides
Mental health and substance use are top concerns in West Virginia, as these disorders affect many individuals throughout the state. Further compounding the problem, there is a significant shortage of mental health professionals in the state, so many residents are not receiving the treatment they need. To fully appreciate the need for mental health and substance use treatment in West Virginia, consider the following statistics:
“We recognized the need and are excited to be able to offer this innovative new service to our patients. We are dedicated to increasing access to psychiatric care to anyone in our community who would benefit from it. Given the shortage of psychiatry providers in our area and across the state, we believe telepsychiatry is a way to ensure our patients with mental health and substance use disorders get the quality care that they need,” said Lora Dunn, Administrative Director of Behavioral Health at Thomas Health System.
“Telepsychiatry gives communities unprecedented access to behavioral health care specialists. We are pleased to partner with Thomas Health to offer this service. Telepsychiatry is a great solution, not only in West Virginia, but also in many other states across the nation where there is significant mental health need and a shortage of psychiatry providers” said Shawn Ball, Chief Operating Officer at InSight.
About Thomas Health System
Thomas Health is a partnership built on the strengths between Thomas Memorial Hospital and Saint Francis Hospital, bringing over 100 years of compassionate quality health care to the Kanawha Valley. Thomas Health is to be the trusted, personal choice for wellness and quality care, focused on optimal individual health. Thomas Health offers a range of patient focused service lines creating value for patients, physicians and payers through committed healthcare professionals delivering a compassionate exceptional patient experience, superior clinical outcomes and fiscal stewardship to enhance the health and wellness of the communities we serve.
About InSight Telepsychiatry
InSight is the leading national telepsychiatry service provider organization with a mission to increase access to quality behavioral health care through innovative applications of technology. InSight’s psychiatry providers bring care into multiple settings on an on-demand or scheduled basis. InSight has two decades of telepsychiatry experience and is an industry thought-leader. More information can be found at www.InSightTelepsychiatry.com.
[1] https://www.arc.gov/images/appregion/fact_sheets/HealthDisparities2017/WVHealthDisparitiesKeyFindings8-17.pdf
[2] https://datausa.io/profile/geo/south-charleston-wv/
[3] https://www.arc.gov/images/appregion/fact_sheets/HealthDisparities2017/WVHealthDisparitiesKeyFindings8-17.pdf
[4] https://www.aamc.org/download/152190/data/west_virginia.pdf
[5] https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/mental-health-care-health-professional-shortage-areas-hpsas/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D
[6] https://www.drugabuse.gov/opioid-summaries-by-state/west-virginia-opioid-summary
[7] https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/2015_West-Virginia_BHBarometer.pdf
MARLTON, NJ – Paul Olson, Chief Financial Officer of InSight Telepsychiatry, was recently named 2019 CFO of the Year by the Philadelphia Business Journal.
This award is given to financial executives in the Greater Philadelphia area in recognition of their financial stewardship and contributions to their respective organizations and communities. Award recipients are selected based on their demonstrated commitment to fiscal integrity and accountability, contribution to their organization’s growth and profitability and strategic involvement in strengthening their organization’s competitive foothold in the market.
Olson has served as CFO at InSight Telepsychiatry since 2017. During his tenure with InSight, Mr. Olson has led the separation of InSight from its former parent company, guided the organization’s growth strategies and led the organization’s successful recapitalization with Harbour Point Capital.
Mr. Olson is passionate about supporting the behavioral health community. In addition to his work at InSight, he serves on the Board of Directors of Search for Change, a non-profit organization that provides services to individuals transitioning from behavioral health facilities to independent living.
“I am humbled to be recognized along with such an esteemed group of peers in the Greater Philadelphia business community and look forward to scaling InSight for growth and carrying out our mission alongside the most dedicated group of colleagues in behavioral healthcare,” said Olson.
Geoffrey Boyce, CEO of InSight Telepsychiatry, extended his congratulations and appreciation for the work Mr. Olson has done to position the organization for success now and in the future. Boyce shared, “Paul is a trusted colleague, advisor, and strategic partner and is not only responsible for the financial integrity of our organization, but also for playing an instrumental role in shaping our strategy and advancing our mission to transform access to quality behavioral health care through technology. This honor is well deserved. Thank you to the Philadelphia Business Journal for recognizing his contributions as well as those of his peers at other area organizations.”
The Philadelphia Business Journal will present Olson with his award during their 2019 CFO of the Year Awards ceremony on July, 18, 2019, in Center City.
Marlton, NJ – InSight Telepsychiatry is joining the nationwide effort to increase awareness about the importance of mental health. This year, in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, we are embracing the idea of “Mental Health Starts with Us.” In that spirit, InSight is providing resources, strategies and information to highlight the importance of mental wellness for everyone, including mental health professionals, healthcare organizations and individuals looking to learn more.
The Importance of Mental Health Care
One in six individuals live with a mental illness. It is estimated that approximately 44.7 million American adults are affected by a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder (NIMH). Despite how common mental health concerns are, less than half of those with mental health concerns seek treatment, either because they choose not to or are unable to.
Why Does Mental Health Matter?
Mental health includes emotional, psychological and social well-being and impacts how we think, feel and act. It is also a key component to managing overall wellness since mental health and physical health are very closely linked. Unfortunately, many people do not or are unable to seek mental health care due to stigma, lack of mental health providers and other barriers such as location.
Why Does Mental Wellness Matter for Mental Health Care Professionals?
Not prioritizing mental health can lead to hospitalization, lost productivity at work and absenteeism (NIMH). Mental health care professionals are just as likely to have mental health disorders as other individuals. It may be even more important for them to take care of their mental wellness, as they are expected to provide the care that those living with mental health conditions need.
Lack of mental wellness practices can also lead to burnout among physicians, nurses and other mental health care professionals, which is associated with increased depression, anxiety, sleep problems and impaired memory (NIH).
Importance of Addressing Mental Health in Communities
It is important for healthcare organizations to provide mental health resources for individuals in their communities. With telepsychiatry, organizations can further increase access to mental health care for their community with the use of innovative applications of technology. Telepsychiatry is a proven medium for increasing psychiatric capacity at single facilities and across entire systems. Through telemedicine, organizations can access psychiatric coverage without the recruiting, logistical and financial burdens that the onsite provision of those services would require.
We invite you to join us in our quest to raise awareness of the importance of mental wellness and to expand and transform access to quality behavioral health care, particularly among underserved populations and communities. Mental health awareness is much bigger than a month long campaign. Join our conversation this month and all year long, using the hashtag #StartsWithUs on social media whenever discussing mental health.
Mental Health Resources
Click here for tips, tools, and support you need to help take care of your mental health this month, and every month.
Telepsychiatry 101
Click here to download our Telepsychiatry 101 white paper, which covers everything organizations interested in implementing telebehavioral health need to know to make the most of this exciting development in health care service delivery.
About InSight + Regroup
InSight + Regroup (now Array Behavioral Care) is the leading and largest telepsychiatry service provider in the US with a mission to transform access to quality behavioral health care. InSight + Regroup serves hundreds of organizations and individuals in various settings across the continuum of care with its on-demand, scheduled services and direct-to-consumer (Inpathy) divisions. Given its size, diversity of services and extensive experience and expertise, InSight + Regroup is uniquely positioned to enable scalable telepsychiatry programs across the care continuum. As an industry thought leader, InSight + Regroup has helped shape the field, define the standard of care and advocate for improved telepsychiatry-friendly regulations. To learn more, visit www.arraybc.com.
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Marlene McDermott, LMFT, Operations Manager of Inpathy, will be speaking at the pre-conference plenary on telehealth at the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW-NJ) Annual Conference on Sunday, April 28 from 10am-12pm.
Inpathy to Present at the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers Annual Conference
McDermott will be discussing key considerations for practicing telebehavioral health in New Jersey, including a review of the New Jersey telehealth law that went into effect in 2017.
“I’m thrilled to speak at the NASW New Jersey chapter,” says McDermott. “It’ll be a great discussion and opportunity to connect with several folks.”
Also presenting during this plenary session are Samantha Wolfe-Taylor, MSW and David Wilkerson, PhD, LCSW from the Indiana University School of Social Work. They will be presenting via video from Indiana and will cover what social workers need to know about telehealth. McDermott will serve as the moderator during their session before she speaks on New Jersey specifics.
The presentation will take place at the Borgata Hotel.
About Marlene McDermott, LMFT
Marlene McDermott, LMFT helps Inpathy with practice and operations administration. She pulls together information from various sources and implements procedures to streamline referral workflows, best practices, data reporting and clinical documentation. With a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology, McDermott’s almost two decades of experience in behavioral health care are both clinical and administrative: from being a partner in a thriving small private psychotherapy practice to managing a large outpatient department. McDermott takes pride in her ability to help problem solve through listening and collaborating.
About InSight + Regroup
InSight + Regroup (now Array Behavioral Care) is the leading and largest telepsychiatry service provider in the US with a mission to transform access to quality behavioral health care. InSight + Regroup serves hundreds of organizations and individuals in various settings across the continuum of care with its on-demand, scheduled services and direct-to-consumer (Inpathy) divisions. Given its size, diversity of services and extensive experience and expertise, InSight + Regroup is uniquely positioned to enable scalable telepsychiatry programs across the care continuum. As an industry thought leader, InSight + Regroup has helped shape the field, define the standard of care and advocate for improved telepsychiatry-friendly regulations. To learn more, visit www.arraybc.com.
McKees Rocks, PA – Sto-Rox Family Health Center is launching a new telepsychiatry program in March 2019. InSight Telepsychiatry will bring 16 hours a week of scheduled adult psychiatry services.
Telepsychiatry is the delivery of psychiatry through real-time videoconferencing. It is proven to be an effective form of care delivery and a convenient, cost-effective way to safely expand psychiatric support without the challenge of staffing an in-person psychiatry provider.
The telepsychiatry program is launched in partnership with InSight, a national telepsychiatry service provider organization. The program is also partly funded by the AIMS Grant which provides technical assistance funding. The services provided to Sto-Rox Family Health Center will include the same services someone would receive in-person, with the goal of treating the behavioral health needs of adolescents and adults so that they can achieve their potential through a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Sto-Rox Telepsychiatry Room
“Our team at Sto-Rox is excited to provide telepsychiatry to additionally help our neighborhood and the patients we are honored to serve, while simultaneously taking a step forward to embrace the future of healthcare delivery,” says Dr. John Barczynski, CEO of Sto-Rox Family Health Center. “As we adjust to changing times, we remain committed to our unchanging mission.”
Increased access to mental health services is growing need as 57.7 million – one-in-four – people live with mental illness of some sort across the country. The new telepsychiatry program will bring additional access to mental health services to the McKees Rocks community and surrounding areas.
About Sto-Rox Family Health Center
Sto-Rox Family Health Center‘s staff includes a psychiatrist and licensed clinical social worker. Our services include Diagnosis and Follow-Up, Anxiety, Depression, Grief Support, Healthy Lifestyle Choices, such as those needed to manage chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, and Stress Management. More information can be found at http://www.storoxfqhc.org/behavioral-health/
MARLTON, NJ – InSight Telepsychiatry has named telepsychiatry-industry leader Shawn Ball to its Chief Operating Officer position. Ball has served as the interim chief operating officer at InSight since August 2018.
Ball has extensive experience within the telepsychiatry industry, strategic planning, financial planning and analysis, change management and account management. He has a background in business consulting and has held leadership positions with organizations such as Dell, Motorola and JSA Health Telepsychiatry. He has a strong ability to lead strategic business development initiatives from conception to implementation and understands the technical aspects of business to develop models to drive key performance metrics.
At InSight, Ball oversees the talent, human resources, external operations and internal operations teams. He is responsible for aligning these departments to realize InSight’s mission of delivering quality behavioral health care through innovative applications of technology. Under Ball’s leadership, InSight will meet its goals of providing best of class, solution-oriented services to its partners, providers and consumers.
About InSight + Regroup
InSight + Regroup (now Array Behavioral Care) is the leading and largest telepsychiatry service provider in the US with a mission to transform access to quality behavioral health care. InSight + Regroup serves hundreds of organizations and individuals in various settings across the continuum of care with its on-demand, scheduled services and direct-to-consumer (Inpathy) divisions. Given its size, diversity of services and extensive experience and expertise, InSight + Regroup is uniquely positioned to enable scalable telepsychiatry programs across the care continuum. As an industry thought leader, InSight + Regroup has helped shape the field, define the standard of care and advocate for improved telepsychiatry-friendly regulations. To learn more, visit www.arraybc.com.
“I’m honored to be on the InSight leadership team and look forward to InSight’s continued growth,” says Ball. “By aligning InSight’s operations in a way that meets the needs of our partners we are able to use telepsychiatry to transform access to behavioral health care at all stages of the care continuum.”
Marlton, NJ, March 27, 2019: In response to The New York Office of Mental Health’s proposed regulations to define standards for appropriate telemental health in its New York codes and regulations, InSight Telepsychiatry has written to suggest changes to the language in order to improve access to behavioral healthcare.
As they are currently written, the proposed regulations would put New York behind other states in terms of telemental health and would unnecessarily restrict a solution intended to increase access to timely, quality care to New York residents. They would also significantly limit the impact of the telehealth parity law enacted by Governor Cuomo in 2014.
Additionally, the proposed regulations do not appear to properly reflect how telemental health services are being used by a large number of telemental health providers throughout the nation. They also do not take into account trends in telemental health that extend care to new and more convenient locations for both the provider and the patient.
InSight Telepsychiatry Writes to Modify the New York Office of Mental Health’s Proposed Regulations Regarding Telemental Health
InSight applauds New York’s desire to increase access to care through telehealth and appreciates that the Office of Mental Health gave the opportunity for interested parties to review and comment on the proposed regulations
To modify regulations to the advantage of all parties, InSight has suggested several simple changes to the regulations. Read InSight’s letter to New York’s Office of Mental Health and learn more about the proposed changes here.
About InSight + Regroup
InSight + Regroup (now Array Behavioral Care) is the leading and largest telepsychiatry service provider in the US with a mission to transform access to quality behavioral health care. InSight + Regroup serves hundreds of organizations and individuals in various settings across the continuum of care with its on-demand, scheduled services and direct-to-consumer (Inpathy) divisions. Given its size, diversity of services and extensive experience and expertise, InSight + Regroup is uniquely positioned to enable scalable telepsychiatry programs across the care continuum. As an industry thought leader, InSight + Regroup has helped shape the field, define the standard of care and advocate for improved telepsychiatry-friendly regulations. To learn more, visit www.arraybc.com.
NASHVILLE, TN – Geoffrey Boyce, Chief Executive Officer of InSight Telepsychiatry, is returning to this year’s National Council for Behavioral Health NatCon Conference as a panel presentation speaker.
Boyce will be speaking on a panel titled, “Are We at a Telehealth Tipping Point?” which will take place on Monday, March 25, 2019 at the Opryland Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville.
The panel will discuss “the tailwinds in telehealth today and the existing hurdles to true scaled penetration of telehealth.” Learning objectives include:
Boyce spoke at the NatCon 2018 Conference in Washington, DC, on a panel titled, “Creating a Telebehavioral Health Strategy.” He will be joined on this year’s panel by Jonathan Evans, MA, President and CEO of InnovaTel Telepsychiatry, as well as Samir Malik, MBA, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Telepsychiatry of Genoa Healthcare.
The panel will take place from 4:15 – 5:15 pm in the Ryman Ballroom C, Level 0. InSight will also be exhibiting at the conference at booth 309 in the Solutions Pavilion Exhibit Hall.
About InSight + Regroup
InSight + Regroup (now Array Behavioral Care) is the leading and largest telepsychiatry service provider in the US with a mission to transform access to quality behavioral health care. InSight + Regroup serves hundreds of organizations and individuals in various settings across the continuum of care with its on-demand, scheduled services and direct-to-consumer (Inpathy) divisions. Given its size, diversity of services and extensive experience and expertise, InSight + Regroup is uniquely positioned to enable scalable telepsychiatry programs across the care continuum. As an industry thought leader, InSight + Regroup has helped shape the field, define the standard of care and advocate for improved telepsychiatry-friendly regulations. To learn more, visit www.arraybc.com.
Pete Wilkins has recognized OCA Ventures, one of Regroup's investors, as "One of 12 Chicago VCs You Should Know About" in Forbes. Bravo OCA!
Also recognized:
Originally published on AP News
Walmart workers can now see a doctor for only $4. The catch? It has to be a virtual visit.
The retail giant recently rolled back the $40 price on telemedicine, becoming the latest big company to nudge employees toward a high-tech way to get diagnosed and treated remotely.
But patients have been slow to embrace virtual care. Eighty percent of mid-size and large U.S. companies offered telemedicine services to their workers last year, up from 18 percent in 2014, according to the consultant Mercer. Only 8 percent of eligible employees used telemedicine at least once in 2017, most recent figures show.
“There’s an awful lot of effort right now focused on educating the consumer that there’s a better way,” said Jason Gorevic, CEO of telemedicine provider Teladoc Health.
Widespread smartphone use, looser regulations and employer enthusiasm are helping to expand access to telemedicine, where patients interact with doctors and nurses from afar, often through a secure video connection. Supporters say virtual visits make it easier for patients to see a therapist or quickly find help for ailments that aren’t emergencies. But many still fall back to going to the doctor’s office when they’re sick.
Health care experts have long said that changing behavior can be hard. In telemedicine’s case, patients might learn about it from their employer and then forget about it by the time they need care a few months later. Plus emotions can complicate health care decisions, said Mercer’s Beth Umland.
“My little kid is sick, I want them to have the best of care right away, and for some people that might not register as a telemedicine call,” she said.
Some patients, especially older ones, also just prefer an in-person visit.
“Going to the doctor’s office is a big event in their life and something they look forward to,” said Geoffrey Boyce, CEO of InSight Telepsychiatry, which provides virtual mental health services.
Tom Hill's support for telemedicine
Tom Hill is among that crowd. The 66-year-old from Mooresville, Indiana, said he’s never used telemedicine and has no plans to.
“I believe in a handshake and looking a guy in the eye,” said Hill during a recent shopping break at a downtown Indianapolis mall. “I don’t buy anything online either.”
But the practice does gain fans once patients try it.
Julie Guerrero-Goetsch has opened her MDLive telemedicine app several times since first using it about a year ago to get help for a sinus infection.
The Fallon, Nevada, resident was skeptical, but she didn’t have time to go in person. MDLive connected her to a doctor soon after she opened the app. She said he started asking questions about symptoms “just as if I was sitting in a doctor’s office” and prescribed an antibiotic.
Caitlin Powers tried telemedicine recently after hearing about it through a friend. The Columbia University graduate student was feeling stuffed up and worried she might be coming down with the flu. She said her appointment started on time, lasted 10 minutes, and she spoke by video with a doctor in Florida while never leaving her Brooklyn apartment.
“As a student, I don’t really have time to spend three hours waiting to see a doctor, and this was so easy,” she said.
Doctors have used telemedicine for years to monitor patients or reach those in remote locations. Now more employers are encouraging people covered under their health plans to seek care virtually for several reasons.
Telemedicine can reduce time spent away from the job, and it also can cost half the price of a doctor’s visit, which might top $100 for someone with a high-deductible plan. However, those savings can be negated if telemedicine’s convenience causes people to overuse it.
Walmart said it cut the cost for virtual visits to give another care option to the more than one million people covered by its health benefits.
Everybody needs telehealth
Employers aren’t the only ones pushing the technology.
The drugstore chains CVS Health and Walgreens are promoting apps that let customers connect to doctors. Some insurers like Oscar Health are offering it for free to customers as a first line of treatment.
Ease of use is one of the reasons researchers and telemedicine providers think the practice will become more widespread in several areas of care. Those include dermatology and follow-up doctor visits after a surgery or medical procedure.
Mental health visits are another area ripe for virtual care because patients can feel more comfortable talking to a therapist in their own home, said Boyce of InSight Telepsychiatry, which delivers mental health care in about 30 states.
Boyce said people also like the anonymity of a virtual visit.
Mental health visits were the most common use of telemedicine by patients until primary care overtook that specialty a few years ago, Harvard’s Dr. Ateev Mehrotra and other researchers found in a recent study of claims data from a large insurer.
Research firm IHS Markit estimates that telemedicine visits in the U.S. will soar from 23 million in 2017 to 105 million by 2022. But even then, they will probably amount to only about one out of every 10 doctor visits, said senior analyst Roeen Roashan.
MDLive CEO Rich Berner said telemedicine is like the digital video recorder TiVo, which took a while to catch on with viewers.
“People were so used to doing things the other way that it just took a little while to kind of really go mainstream,” he said. “But when it did, it went mainstream big-time.”
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Follow Tom Murphy on Twitter: @thpmurphy
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The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
