Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1341133
17 Executive Briefing For hospitals, & healthcare facilities, Amwell Psychiatric Care, a newly announced offering from Amwell, builds additional psychiatric capacity, providing hospitals and health systems with on-demand and scheduled telepsychiatry services. "Our customers depend on us to make rapid decisions about psychiatric dispositions and get patients to places where they will receive help," Mr. Kramer said. "When an ER patient needs behavioral health services, we are usually able to arrange a telehealth consult with a psychiatrist within a half hour." Hospital partners recognize and appreciate Amwell's commitment to provider quality. APC physicians are part of a physician led organization that has obtained Joint Commission accreditation. In addition, Amwell vets and supervises all network providers using Joint Commission quality standards. These are the same standards adopted by the majority of American hospitals. Once patients improve and return home, they may transfer to Amwell's in-home teletherapy services which provides support to help maintain their mental health. Amwell also offers its teletherapy and telepsychology services via an app so patients in all 50 states can benefit from increased access to behavioral health services. Many health plans also partner with Amwell to provide virtual behavioral health services to their members, under their own brands. Ultimately, in-home teletherapy services streamline and eliminate many of the barriers that prevent people from entering traditional brick-and-mortar mental health treat- ment. "Our mission is to democratize healthcare and make it more accessible," Dr. Henderson said. "Patients log onto our system via the website portal or mobile app. They can review our network of therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists in their state. Patients also have access to information about providers' interests and training. They can self-schedule an online, video-based treatment appointment. In some cases, same-day appointments are available." Behavioral health professionals also appreciate the benefits of telehealth Amwell's approach to behavioral health improves providers' quality of life. Telehealth offers greater flexibility, since practitioners can work from their home offices without long commutes to urban areas. Amwell ensures its providers feel that they are part of a medical group, not simply a member of a network. Providers receive clinical and technical support around the clock, as well as opportunities for continuing education. "Working from home has its benefits, but we also are intentional about keeping people connected, functioning in teams and working collaboratively," Mr. Kramer said. "It's important for us to make Amwell a great place to work." Clinicians also don't have to worry about the administrative aspects of running a practice. Amwell is a designated credentialer. As a result, individual providers no longer need to handle credentialing processes with various health plans and payers. Amwell also handles billing and claims submission. "Many behavioral health professionals didn't enter this field to run a business," Dr. Henderson said. "We allow practitioners to focus on what they are trained to do and what they are passionate about, which is delivering healthcare. This is a huge draw for a lot of people." The future of behavioral health is virtual Behavioral health is highly complex, affecting every aspect of a person's life. Mental health conditions can erode an individual's efficiency, relationships and success at work. Unfortunately, most communities have nothing resembling comprehensive mental healthcare services. Gaps in information and gaps between providers can have catastrophic consequences. The good news is that teletherapy and telepsychiatry can close those gaps and create a more robust behavioral health ecosystem. The future of behavioral health is virtual. "Over the past few years, we've developed best practices and skill sets that support telehealth," Dr. Henderson said. "We feel lucky to be in a position where we can lead, educate and help people transition to this new world." Mr. Kramer offered his thoughts about the future, noting, "Over the next 10 years, I'd like to see us deliver better access to behavioral health through better technology, better interoperability and better connectivity between the providers that serve on patient care teams. Keeping people as functional as possible is what we're all about." n Amwell is a leading telehealth platform in the United States and globally, connecting and enabling providers, insurers, patients, and innovators to deliver greater access to more affordable, higher quality care. Amwell believes that digital care delivery will transform healthcare. The Company offers a single, comprehensive platform to support all telehealth needs from urgent to acute and post-acute care, as well as chronic care management and healthy living. With over a decade of experience, Amwell powers telehealth solutions for over 2,000 hospitals and 55 health plan partners with over 36,000 employers, covering over 80 million lives. For more information please visit www.amwell.com.