3 Ways Telehealth Is Meeting People Where and When They Need It

This story is from AHIP. Read more here. 

The proliferation of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on the increased access that virtual care offers Americans. Telehealth services covered by employer-provided plans have changed the way millions of patients seek care for their physical and mental health.

Virtual care has expanded access to essential health services and significantly lowered the barriers to entry for other types of care. Norma S. from New York shared that this easy access was critical for her family throughout the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. “There was always a nurse on call to answer simple questions like: ‘should I take my husband to the emergency room because he’s displaying certain symptoms?’” Quick, reliable, virtual consultations like these help patients make medical decisions without having to devote significant time to seeking in-person support.

This quick access to care has been game changing for employees across industries, and especially so for Americans struggling with their mental health. Jenny M., PhD, a clinical psychologist from Michigan shared that she believes virtual therapy options empower people to seek out care who may not have otherwise done so. “Thanks to coverage from so many different employers, people are finding themselves much more equipped [and] empowered to find the therapist, the clinician who is going to be the best fit for them.” She is certain that online mental health services have saved “many, many lives.”

Virtual mental health support has been impactful for many throughout the pandemic. Following a knee replacement surgery and the loss of her mother at the onset of the pandemic, Laurie M. from North Carolina shared that telehealth counseling services were the most important services she received. “The most important service at that time that my employer-provided coverage gave to me was the access to my counselor through telehealth. If it had not been for my insurance, that never would have happened.”

Easier access to mental health support and lower barriers to entry are among the top reasons telehealth options are here to stay. To learn more about how employer-provided coverage and telehealth are delivering needed mental health support, check out more stories from patients and experts.

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