Telehealth has become quite popular. The COVID-19 pandemic has further illustrated the need for remote healthcare. Thus, telehealth offers an affordable and convenient healthcare model. Patients with mental health disorders can now access services at the touch of a button.
What Is Telehealth?
Telehealth is a remote healthcare service wherein your doctor provides medical care online through a computer, smartphone, or tablet. While this sounds like a simple concept, it is quite effective.
The use of telehealth stretches far back. In the 1920s, medical advice aired over the radio to shorten in-person visits. Thus, the advancement of technology has only made telehealth more accessible and highly accurate.
The most common method of accessing telehealth is through a telehealth service provider. In some cases, hospitals have proprietary mobile apps for this. However, through a service provider, such as GoodRx Care, you can quickly get on a call with a doctor.
You need to provide your medical history, current symptoms, and/or any medications you’re currently using. Then, select a healthcare professional, schedule an appointment, and begin your session.
Online treatment may sound limiting in nature. However, it can treat several ailments such as skin conditions, allergies, flu, respiratory problems, mental disorders, headaches, and much more.
How Does Telehealth Improve Your Mental Health?
Often, mental health services can be expensive, with lack of access being an additional roadblock. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more difficult to attend in-person therapy sessions. Telehealth is a method that can enable access to mental health services at a relatively affordable price.
Telehealth relies on live interactive communication to treat mental health issues. Two methods facilitate this communication:
Virtual Appointments: You can enter your medical details and schedule appointments on your smartphone or computer through a telehealth service provider. Thus, you can attend a therapy session from the comfort of your room. Remote Monitoring: An important aspect of telehealth is access to health data. Doctors may require access to patient data such as sleep, heart rate, electrocardiogram (ECG), breathing, or lab tests. This helps with efficient diagnosis and treatment.
Through a combination of these methods, mental health professionals can make a quick diagnosis and begin treatment. For example, if a patient has an anxiety attack, the increased heart rate or hyperventilation can trigger an alert.
Taking time off, scheduling, and traveling for an in-person follow-up is a tedious task. Timely notifications, emails, and follow-up remote sessions make keeping track of your mental wellbeing hassle-free. A doctor can check up on you in a matter of minutes.
How Can You Access Telehealth Services?
There are many ways for a remote mental health check-up. The quickest options are conducting sessions over Skype or a telephonic call. However, several telehealth service providers can make virtual sessions seamless. Two of the best service providers are:
GoodRx Care: GoodRx Care is one of the leading telehealth service providers in the US. It offers a $9. 99/month subscription plan that significantly reduces the cost of each session. By signing up on its website, you can quickly schedule virtual appointments with licensed medical professionals. Additionally, it also supports the delivery and pickup of prescribed medications. Doctor on Demand: Doctor on Demand is a popular telehealth service provider for mental health services. It has an Android and iOS application for added accessibility. With a specialized team of psychiatrists available 24/7, you can book an appointment right from your phone. You can also add your Medicare insurance to cut costs.
Wearables such as the Apple Watch, Fitbit, and the Muse headband can help collect health data. For example, the Apple Watch has several health features that can track irregular heart rates, fall detection, ECG measurements, breathing rate, sleep patterns, and much more.
Benefits of Telehealth Over In-Person Therapy
There are numerous advantages telehealth has over in-person therapy. From affordability to convenience, telehealth offers a great alternative. The most obvious benefit telehealth has is with regard to safety. Due to the pandemic, an in-person session increases the risk of contracting coronavirus. Instead, telehealth brings healthcare to you.
Another major factor when considering mental health services is the costs involved. Cost is often a barrier to mental wellbeing. A traditional in-person therapy session can cost anywhere from $65 to upwards of $200, according to GoodTherapy. If you’re suffering from depression, multiple therapy sessions and medications can bump up costs to thousands of dollars.
Telehealth services are affordable to a vast majority of people. For example, with GoodRx Care’s membership plan, a single session costs around just $19. That is less than half of what in-person therapy can cost.
Other benefits include anonymity, comfort, and convenience. Social stigma is another reason why people avoid seeking help. Through virtual sessions, you can avoid stigma altogether. Also, you may find it easier to talk about your problems through a screen from the comfort of your room. Telehealth makes mental health services accessible to the remotest demographic by cutting down on transportation.
How Effective Is Telehealth?
Telehealth is a dated practice that has yielded positive results with technological advancements.
An IJCHP study observed that the clinical efficacy in treating mental health disorders is equal to, and in some cases greater than, traditional procedures. This study found telehealth to be more accessible, versatile, and affordable.
A 2020 research article in Australasian Psychiatry concluded that telepsychiatry can effectively treat mental health conditions in all age groups, with over three decades’ worth of peer-reviewed scientific research providing substantial evidence.
In a randomized trial, viewable on PubMed, participants received both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) over the internet. From its results and conclusions, this study suggested that both forms of online therapy were effective in reducing depressive symptoms.
Improve Your Mental Wellbeing With Telehealth
At present, there is a growing mental health crisis in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has further induced stress and an imbalance in our everyday lives. Therefore, the need for accessible mental health services is more prevalent than ever.
Internet-delivered therapy has substantially improved over the years. Further research is being carried out on the benefits of telepsychiatry. However, preliminary findings suggest that telehealth is the best option for cost-effective treatment. While virtual therapy may not replace in-person sessions completely, it can act as a crucial supplementary resource.
