Adracare

What is going on at Adracare (April 2024)

Will Stieh — Thu, 02 May 2024 18:05:50 +0000

Hello Adracare community, Welcome back to our monthly check in where we share the updates from the last month and highlight a specific exciting feature. What’s New? Continuing in the spirit of Spring cleaning we have been hard at work resolving bugs and enhancing the user experience. Void and Duplicate Invoices – Did you …

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What is going on at Adracare (March 2024)

Will Stieh — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 14:13:14 +0000

Hello Adracare community, Welcome to our first monthly newsletter! Here we will be going over some exciting updates. We will also highlight a specific Adracare feature that you can use to enhance your practice. What’s New? In the spirit of Spring, we have done some spring cleaning ourselves! You may have noticed some changes to your …

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Adracare’s Commitment to Security: ISO27001 Certified

The Adracare Team — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 14:42:33 +0000

The need for data protection and security of client information has become more important than ever, particularly with the ever-increasing use of digital solutions. We are excited to announce our recent achievement of ISO27001 certification, a significant milestone in our dedication to information security. Understanding ISO27001 Certification ISO27001 is an internationally recognized standard for information …

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Adracare Now Ontario Health Certified

The Adracare Team — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 20:54:48 +0000

In the changing world of healthcare, the need for reliable, secure and efficient virtual care solutions is increasing. Adracare has made significant strides in this field, distinguishing itself as one of the few telemedicine vendors to meet and exceed all Ontario provincial standards for video and secure messaging. In 2021, we were awarded the Ontario …

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4 Essential Security Measures Every Virtual Care Solution Must Have

The Adracare Team — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 08:21:28 +0000

A world without the internet hardly seems imaginable. Let’s consider the fact that there are 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide, according to Statista. What used to take months to deliver takes no longer than a few seconds. Today, communication tools and how we exchange personal data and information have bridged the gap between therapists and their clients. Moreover, internet communication ensures an instant connection between people who aren’t in the same proximity.

Research demonstrates that the internet is a fantastic resource for the medical field with an abundance of advantages! With that being said, internet security should always be top of mind for any therapist looking to purchase a virtual care solution. But how do you know what to look for?

In our latest webinar, we sat down with the profound Lawrence Murphy, Psychologist & founder of Worldwide Therapy Online, established in 1994 as the world’s first online clinical practice to speak on Video Counselling: Security, Ethics, and Clinical decisions. In this blog, we highlight the 4 discussed essential security measures you should be looking for in your virtual care solution to ensure your practice and patient data are safe and secure.

1. Encrypted Messages & Communication: Why Should You Care?

With the evolution of virtual care, therapists and clients can quickly exchange messages, photos, videos, voice messages, documents, and other essential health data, improving the health care experience. However, serious privacy and security risks could undermine this experience if you’re not using a solution supported by encryption. What does encryption mean, and why should therapists care? Encryption itself is straightforward: It turns data into something that cannot be read when transferred from one device to another. With end-to-end encryption, the only people who can access the data are the sender and the intended recipients – no one else in between.

Here’s how encryption works when sending a message or sharing an encrypted file:

1. A readable message (“I’d like to book an appointment today”) is encrypted into a scrambled message with the intent to be incomprehensible to anyone looking at it (“056393462050”).
2. The encrypted message is sent over the internet, where others see the scrambled message (“056393462050”).
3. When it arrives at its destination, the intended recipient, and only the intended recipient, will see. The decryption step uses the same secret key to convert the ciphertext back into the original data (“I’d like to book an appointment today”).

Source: chatmap.io

A trusted virtual care solution should always offer industry-standard AES 265 Bit-Encryption. The 256 indicates the number of possible key combinations. The higher the number of bits of encryption, the greater the number of possible keys, so the more difficult it is to compromise the encryption.

What happens when a therapist sends an email from an encrypted platform to a client who doesn’t have encryption?
While your email service provider might encrypt the email as you press send, if the data on their data server is not encrypted, it can be stolen or misused.

Let’s look at Google as an example. When emails are sent between different mail providers, both providers need to support TLS for the email to be encrypted in transit. If you use Gmail and your client or colleague uses an email provider that doesn’t offer TLS encryption, emails exchanged will not be unencrypted. This enables Google to scan the information in a TLS-encrypted email and expose that information to third parties.

Services like Gmail, Yahoo or Microsoft enable the provider to access users’ data on its servers because these providers hold copies to the decryption keys. As such, these providers can read users’ emails and files. In Google’s case, its possession of decryption keys has enabled them in the past to provide the Google account holder with targeted ads.

‍2.End-to-End Encryption Database

Let’s begin by defining a database. In simple terms, a database is an organized collection of structured information, or data, stored electronically in a computer system and can be expanded, updated, or retrieved rapidly.

According to the Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Regional Health Data Networks, the term database embraces many different concepts, including paper records maintained by a single practitioner, vast computerized collections of insurance claims for Medicare beneficiaries, files of computerized patient encounter forms, cancer and trauma registries maintained by health institutions and researchers, and the major national health survey data of federal agencies.

EHR’s, EMR’s, and other virtual care platforms are examples of healthcare databases. They offer the ability to store, collect, manage, distribute and access patient health information electronically, improving patient care management. However, those features that make digital healthcare desirable—accessibility, transferability, and portability of patient health information—also present privacy and security risks.

Healthcare is the only industry where more breaches happen because of insider threats than outside malicious agents, and it’s tied for first place for the most breaches across all sectors.

–2018 Data Breach Investigations Report, 11th edition (Verizon)

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, therapists have been forced to transition from seeing their clients in-person to online. However, many therapists haven’t been trained in protecting security and patient privacy in an online setting. From 2010 to 2015, it was found that laptops (20.2%), network servers (12.1%), desktop computers (13%), and other portable electronic devices (5.6%) made up 51% of data sources of all healthcare data breaches and affected more than 500 individuals.

To ensure client privacy and confidentiality, therapists should contact their virtual care platform and ask about AES 265 Bit-Encryption at every endpoint.

3. Safeguarding Privacy: Healthcare Compliance Regulations

Healthcare organizations and therapists that handle confidential and sensitive information must adhere to jurisdiction privacy laws, organizational policies, and ethical standards set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Availability Act (HIPAA), the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) or other applicable personal health information legislation where it operates.

If your virtual care solution fails to safeguard sensitive data (including confidential medical records) appropriately, healthcare providers could face a violation or lawsuit. Always ask your service provider if they are compliant with your state or province’s privacy and security laws.

For further information on a few jurisdiction’s set of privacy & security rules & regulations, you can refer to the following governing resources:

4. Where is the server located, and why does it matter?

If your practice handles any medical or health records, you must have a robust healthcare data management plan in place. For most healthcare facilities, this means digitizing patient health records and storing (and backing them up) on a secure server. The specific regulations governing access to data from servers depend on the jurisdiction in which servers are located. In Canada, federal (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) and provincial (Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector) laws govern data retention in servers and server operation by digital health tools manufacturers.

What would happen if a therapist residing in Canada uses a virtual care solution with a server in the United States?
‍Any data transferred from a device or software to servers located in a foreign country might expose the user to additional risk.

For example, following September 11, 2001, in New York, the Patriot Act was passed in the United States. It allows several American public entities to access data hosted on servers located on its territory without the user’s authorization. The problem is that many Canadians use American services. Thus, they expose themselves to some form of surveillance by the American authorities without being aware of it, even if they aren’t citizens of the United States (learn more about the Patriot Act here).

Not sure where your server is located? Ask your service provider, and as a rule of thumb, if you’re in Canada, it’s a wise decision to pick a virtual care solution with Canadian servers.

A Secure and Reliable Virtual Care Solution You Can Trust

At Adracare, we understand just how important it is to keep data secure. Any communications and personal information are encrypted in transit, in the database, and at rest, leveraging industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption and in compliance with HIPAA, PHIPA, PIPA and PIPEDA.

The Adracare Platform maintains strict geographic boundaries, and as such, data for patients and providers in one country never crosses into another. Adracare deploys its solution in data centers in Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, and new data centers are constantly added to meet each region’s personal health information regulations.

Are you interested in seeing how our all-in-one virtual care solution can protect your security privacy and security? Set up a free trial for one month or contact us today to speak to one of our experts.

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The 5 Top Patient Engagement Statistics

The Adracare Team — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 07:13:56 +0000

How do people search for healthcare? What do they expect from their healthcare providers? How can you, as a healthcare provider, help patients get better, faster? Patient engagement statistics provide insights and answers to these questions and many more.

The way patients access healthcare and their expectations of healthcare professionals has changed dramatically over the past few years. Just look at the trend of going to a family doctor – 85% of baby boomers have a family doctor, but just 55% of people born after 1997 can say the same.

Patient engagement statistics help investigate these trends and provide you with the data you need as a healthcare provider to make informed decisions about how best to improve your practice’s own patient engagement. The data can help drive decisions that:

- Increase patients’ access to your healthcare services
- Reduce hurdles to accessing care (such as cost)
- Develop targeted treatment goals and improve outcomes
- Build confidence with patients through better communication

Here are five patient engagement statistics that can inform your engagement strategy to better meet evolving patient needs.

1. Engaged Patients Are Less Likely to Have Unmet Needs

Studies have shown that patients who are more engaged with their healthcare providers are more proactive about their healthcare. In real-world terms that means people are more likely to go for check-ups, get their immunizations, and get diagnostic tests done on time.

Conversely, less engaged patients are 3x more likely to have unmet medical needs. They are also 2x as likely to delay getting care, compared to patients who like to actively participate in their treatment.

It’s vital that patients ask questions about their condition and make informed decisions about their care.

2. Phones Are Becoming the Primary Point of Contact

There are over 325,000 mobile health apps available on smartphones, tablets, and computers today.

People expect to use their phones to identify symptoms, talk to healthcare providers and get text message reminders for appointments. Patient expectations regarding online booking and payment have also grown to the point where it’s considered standard to have these systems in place. The risk of not meeting those expectations? Lower patient satisfaction scores.

3. Patients Prefer Virtual Care, Even for Complex Needs

A survey found 26% of people receive routine mental healthcare virtually; 24% get treatment for major physical injuries and chronic diseases over the internet.

It points to an ever-increasing trend of people being more comfortable with taking tests at home, video conferencing with their doctors, and looking at their health records online.

4. Data From Wearables Can Improve Quality of Care

Data privacy has been a major concern with tech, but when it comes to medicine, patients are happy to share data with their doctors. Over 60% of people said they are willing to share health records from wearables with their doctors if it helps improve their health.

That means instead of relying solely on diagnostic tests spaced weeks or months apart you can get real-time insight into your patients’ health.

5. Healthy people are seeking virtual care

Think patients only visit doctors when they are unwell? People who consider their health to be “excellent” or “very good” are proactive about using digital tools to stay healthy.

Healthcare practices are turning to automated text messages and emails to remind patients to check in with their doctors regularly. And virtual consultations have made “seeing the doctor” less stressful and more routine.

Using Patient Engagement Statistics to Enhance Care

Patient engagement statistics are vital information for any healthcare provider looking to improve satisfaction scores and treatment outcomes.

Adracare’s patient engagement solutions help healthcare providers, like you, take full advantage of this shift towards telehealth:

- - Book appointments online, video conference, and share documents with patients from a single platform.
  - Enhance your engagement strategy with features like unlimited text message reminders.
  - Reduce digital clutter with a platform that doesn’t force your or your patients to download apps or software on their devices.

Find out how Adracare can transform how you engage with your patients. Start your free trial today.

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How Technology Can Boost Outpatient Mental Health Treatment

The Adracare Team — Wed, 26 May 2021 06:27:36 +0000

Nearly 20% of Americans live with a mental illness, but fewer than half receive any treatment at all. Cost, inconvenience, and social factors have, traditionally, stopped patients from seeking inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment.

And though Covid-19 should have widened this gap, it has done the opposite. Today, over 48% of patients receive mental care virtually – inconceivable, given that fewer than 1 in 10 patients used a health care provider’s online portal before the pandemic.

Technologies such as video conferencing are making mental health services more accessible for patients and cutting the cost of delivering care for health care providers.

What Is Outpatient Mental Health Treatment?

(Source: Rand Corporation)

Outpatient mental health treatment covers a gamut of services, including one-on-one counseling, group therapy, consultations, and psychiatric treatment.

Patients also rely on outpatient care after leaving a psychiatric hospital, for prescriptions and regular check-ins with a licensed professional even as they return home.

Outpatient mental health treatment programs may, therefore, be short-term (several weeks), to long-term for more severe mental health conditions.

But a telehealth strategy and platform can equip your practice with the tools it needs to provide care to more patients and improve the overall patient experience.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of telehealth as it relates to outpatient mental health treatments.

1. Focus on Patient Engagement

Getting patients to understand their treatment options and engage with the treatment process is proven to improve treatment outcomes. And telehealth is helping health care providers offer a new level of care.

Make sure that your outpatient mental health strategy keeps patient engagement at the core. Not only will it help improve patient outcomes, but it can also help reduce operating costs, improve workflows, and make the administering of healthcare services that much simpler – for patients and providers.

Take advantage of automated appointment reminders, video conferencing, and wearables’ data to keep patients engaged in their treatment.
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Make Outpatient Mental Health Treatments More Accessible With Adracare

The pandemic has spurred a shift away from inpatient programs, breaking down barriers that held back patients from getting the mental health services they needed online. And user-friendly technologies have been at the heart of that.

Adracare connects you with your patients anytime, anywhere. Get an all-in-one platform that lets you host virtual video sessions, book appointments, share results, send automated reminders, and do so much more.

Contact us today to learn how Adracare can make your outpatient care seamless and reduce costs for your practice or treatment center.

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What Is a Behavioral Health Center and What Do They Treat?

The Adracare Team — Thu, 20 May 2021 05:41:42 +0000

We’re seeing an unprecedented surge in mental health issues affecting people in the United States and the world over. That makes the need to answer the common question ‘what are behavioral health services’ all the more pressing as there’s a deficit in treatment while the prevalence of mental illnesses and mental health conditions increases.

Consider that a CDC report found that, during a sample week in late January 2021, 23.8% of people with symptoms of a depressive or anxiety disorder had unmet mental health needs, an increase of 2.8% from August.

With mental health and substance abuse issues already spiking due to difficulties brought on by COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdown, understanding behavior health services can be a huge benefit to both patients and practitioners.

For patients, it will help them access the treatment they need to deal with their conditions.

For practitioners, it means having patients be able to self-identify their issues and seek appropriate treatment right from the start, saving time. What’s more, it means a potential for higher patient engagement (something that can improve patient outcomes and is helped along with advancements in technology, which is highlighted below).

All this to say that we need to understand the behavioral health services definition so we can tackle mental health issues.

What is behavioral health?

We understand the growing need for mental health services; now it’s time to understand the common terms of behavioral health.

Behavioral health services have two primary definitions.

The first more commonly applied one is that behavioral health is often used interchangeably with mental health. In other words, a behavioral health professional is also a mental health professional and vice versa.

If you take that approach (one used by the CDC, WHO, APA), then mental health and behavioral health are considered to be, for all intents and purposes, one and the same. That means they can help treat:

- Substance use disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Depressive disorders
- Generalized anxiety disorders

Among other illnesses.

Technological Advancements Improving Behavioral Health Outcomes

Technological advancements in care and access are making it easier to achieve positive patient outcomes.

As mentioned at the top, technology is helping improve patient engagement, which is, in turn, letting patients access more effective treatment (see links below for more on this topic).

Technology lets health organizations manage their practices online, helping providers keep data safe and accessible. This reduces waste, makes things simpler and more intuitive for patients, and otherwise expedites the treatment process, benefiting both providers and patients.

With mental health issues on the rise but with physical contact difficult due to COVID-19, virtual healthcare and telemedicine have become vital to delivering treatment without putting people at risk of infection. What’s more, for certain mental health issues, online treatment is actually preferable as patients can sometimes find it easier to communicate online versus in person.

Supporting Your Clinic or Practice in Delivering Superior Care for Patients

We’ve answered ‘what are behavioral health services’, now it’s time to start delivering them to patients as fast and effectively as possible.

In other words, you need Adracare.

We supply all-in-one telehealth and practice management software to support your healthcare organization’s internal management and external service delivery.

This in turn makes things faster, less prone to error, easier for both patients and providers, and can otherwise help boost your organization’s revenue while reducing expenses.

Try Adracare free today or get in touch to learn more about how we can support your healthcare organization and help patients achieve better outcomes.

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Mental Health Trends Shaping the Future

The Adracare Team — Thu, 20 May 2021 06:49:07 +0000

The mental health industry is enjoying a renaissance of sorts. Across the world, we’re seeing increased awareness, education, spending, and destigmatization of mental health issues. These are all positive mental health trends and ones that both patients and practitioners should be pleased to see.

For healthcare practitioners, we’re seeing mental health industry revenue continue to rise. Global behavioral health market size is set to hit $245 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5%, according to Market Insight Reports.

For patients, we’re seeing treatment options and access begin to fill the long-standing gaps in the industry. Whether through new techniques, technology, or knowledge, one of the most exciting trends in mental health is the higher rate of treatment being administered to people with mental health issues.

To that end, we’re going to be looking at mental health industry growth and trends in three key areas from the perspectives of both patients and providers:

- Socioeconomic
- Technological
- Political and Regulatory

An Improved Socioeconomic Landscape for the Mental Health Industry

Approximately 61.2 million Americans had a mental illness and/or substance use disorder in 2019, up 5.9% from 2018.

Worse yet, the Kaiser Family Fund found that during the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdown, 45% of U.S. adults said that the pandemic has affected their mental health, while 19% say that it has had a “major impact”.

Mental and behavioral health problems are proliferating across the board, with generalized anxiety disorders becoming increasingly common. Particular attention has been paid to the growing prevalence of substance abuse, anxiety, and depression.

The upside is that with the increase in mental health issues across the population, more research and awareness are being conducted on ways to help stem this rising tide of illness. ‍

That’s playing out in the form of awareness campaigns (like Instagram’s #HereForYou campaign) as well as a growing cultural push to help people receive treatment without stigma. This health industry trend has been decades in the making, but its progress is rapidly accelerating year over year.

Image credits: Business2community

While these social media and marketing campaigns may very well have the best of intentions, it’s also true that businesses rarely engage in these types of campaigns unless they believe there’ll be some sort of remuneration down the line.

We’re also seeing a growing body of research looking into the social determinants of health, including how work can impact mental and behavioral health conditions, as well as physical health (which is often tied to mental health).

One study found that workplace stressors can be as dangerous as secondhand smoke. The United States sees about 120,000 preventable deaths and loses about $180 billion due to these stressors coupled with the industry’s gaps.

A Harvard Business Review article stated that “$4 is returned to the economy for every $1 spent caring for people with mental health issues.” Cognizant of this, businesses are beginning to offer stronger mental health benefits.

Keen on preventing lost productivity due to mental health issues (typically ones they themselves have exacerbated) mental health care is becoming more and more a necessary part of a competitive employer’s benefits package.

The downstream effects are twofold: first, workers are more able to get the help they need, and second, mental and behavioral health organizations are seeing a higher demand for their services coupled with a higher ability to sustain treatment with medical benefits and coverage.

This in turn is helping drive mental health industry growth.

Mental Health Industry Growth in Technology Spurs Healthcare Delivery and Access

There are few mental health trends growing faster than the need for telehealth services.

One industry report has telehealth/telemedicine growing by nearly 500% in the next five years, from $38.7 billion in 2021 to $191.7 billion in 2025.

After all, in the midst of a pandemic that has proven in study after study to be having a deleterious effect on people’s mental health, these very same people are not able to physically interact with healthcare providers. Telehealth has stepped in to fill that gap.

And this technology is opening opportunities for more than just increased access (though that is a huge boon to both patients and providers).

Many people on both sides of the mental health industry are seeing improved results from increased patient engagement born from technological improvements.

On the one hand, patient engagement has helped patients take a more active role in their treatments, which has been proven to have positive impacts on their health outcomes (see links above and below for more information on this topic).

‍

Mental Health Trends in Politics and Regulation

Like in all other areas, both politicians and regulators are not blind to the need for increased investment in behavioral health and mental health.

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) received $2.5 billion in funding from the Biden Administration in an effort to help fund states’ and territories’ growing mental health and addiction crises.

This was seen as particularly vital due to the pandemic due to the increased demand for mental and behavioral health services.

That continues a long line of increased political awareness and spending on mental health.

On the regulation side of things, the increased adoption of telehealth has necessitated providers to focus on patient data protection and privacy. Electronic health records (EHR) already have specific regulatory mandates; telehealth services and platforms need to be in compliance with new and existing health regulation frameworks if they’re to ensure that your practice is safe from punitive fines.

It’s worth noting, however, that Medicare relaxed its telehealth mandates, permitting payments and waiving co-pays for services rendered “to beneficiaries in all areas of the country in all settings,” including their homes, even if there was no prior established clinical relationship.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights also relaxed some of its rules, issuing a temporary exemption to allow providers to deliver telehealth by using technology platforms that are not HIPAA compliant, with the intent of making access easier for patients while also relieving pressure on providers.

Other regulatory modifications were made in response to COVID-19 regarding medicine prescriptions in the wake of COVID, typically making it easier for patients to obtain medication without having to see a doctor.

All in all, these trends in mental health may or may not be long-lasting as COVID-19 is overcome, but one thing that’s definitely going to stick around is the growing importance of telehealth in healthcare delivery.

Adracare Helps Mental Health Industry Produce More Positive Outcomes for Patients

Telehealth is among the most exciting and promising mental health industry growth areas.

If you are a healthcare provider and want to take advantage of all that sector has to offer, then you need Adracare.

We provide an all-in-one telehealth and practice management software that facilitates your healthcare organization’s internal management and external service delivery.

Adracare will empower your organization to deliver better patient outcomes at reduced expenses. Try Adracare free today or get in touch to learn more about how we can help grow your healthcare practice.

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The Top Issues Facing Mental Health Care

The Adracare Team — Fri, 14 May 2021 06:48:09 +0000

Approximately 1 in 5 Americans ages 18 or older lives with a mental illness. Issues facing mental health care delivery are only exacerbating the problem.

Successful treatment of these conditions requires regular access to mental health care professionals and various support services – things so many Americans and Canadians don’t have easy or guaranteed access to.

It’s why the barriers to mental health care are among the most significant issues for people seeking treatment.

In this article, we explore the three biggest reasons why people are deterred from accessing mental health. Then we look at howvirtual carehas the potential to eliminate these issues facing mental health care.

Importance of Overcoming Challenges to Mental Health Treatment

Removing the barriers to mental health treatment is essential for improving lives and communities.

Nearly 800,000 people commit suicide every year, which is an average of 1 person every 40 seconds taking their own life.

With the proper treatment to address mental health conditions, we can reduce:

- Suicide rates
- Legal issues
- Family conflict
- Employment issues
- Substance abuse
- Physical health problems

But, to improve the mental health care framework, we’ll first have to understand barriers to mental health services that stop people from getting the care they need.

Biggest Barriers to Mental Health Care Access

Financial Barriers

Financial barriers are among the top challenges in mental health services that hinder people from receiving needed care. People often cite concerns about the cost of care or lack of health insurance coverage when forgoing treatment.

In the National Comorbidity Study, 47 percent of respondents with a mood, anxiety, or substance use disorder said they thought they needed mental health care but couldn’t afford to get help.

‍How Can Virtual Care Reduce Wait Times?

Virtual care can make mental health treatment more affordable by reducing barriers to mental health care, such as:

- Taking time off work
- Transportation costs
- Finding child care

A program in the United States found that replacing nurse home visits with videoconferencing more than doubled their caseload capacity. Over 14 months, 43,560 driving minutes were saved.

In British Columbia, the Northern Health authority saved C$65,520 ($49,584.14) in annual travel costs alone by replacing in-person visits with telehealth sessions.

Wait Times

Another of the major problems with the mental health system is long wait times. The longer the wait, the poorer the patient’s mental and physical health, and the less interested they are in seeking treatment.

A recent Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) study found that, in some communities, children may have to wait as long as two-and-a-half years to receive mental health treatment.

As for adults, psychiatrists see them based on priority or urgency. Despite that, they may be waiting for up to two weeks to be seen for psychoses, severe mood disorders, or an episode of mania.

How Can Virtual Care Reduce Wait Times?

Virtual care can provide direct interventions and real-time interaction between therapist and patient (for instance, videoconferencing). Other digital mental health interventions, which can complement therapy, include:

- Online mental health surveys
- Telephone-based hotlines
- Online access to mental health educational materials and resources

Accessibility

Lack of access to mental health care can mean different things to different people.

For instance, older or less mobile patients may not have family or friends who can provide care and take them to clinics. In rural and low-income communities there can be a significant shortage of mental health providers and services.

Other factors that limit access include:

- Lack of transportation
- Social stigma
- Insufficient information
- Inadequate bandwidth and internet

How Can Virtual Care Improve Access to Mental Health Treatment?

Up to 80% of clinically stable patients can be treated through teleconsultation as their only point of contact. That means most people can video conference with a psychiatrist or therapist from the comfort of their own homes and still receive the full benefit of the treatment.

Removing Barriers to Mental Health Services With Virtual Care

Virtual care can successfully address some of the biggest problems with the mental health system and reduce the burden of providing treatment.

It’s time to use the best features of these technologies to start motivating patients and to build a more responsive and efficient health care system to address the problems with mental health care today.

So how do physicians motivate patients to approach them for mental health care online? There are many benefits for patients seeing physicians virtually compared to office visits, including:

- Treatments can be accessed anywhere at any time
- Little-to-no waiting lists/wait times
- Real-time communication with the physician
- Reduced disruption to work and personal schedules
- Not having to travel or arrange transportation
- Freedom to speak with the physician from the privacy of their own home

With Adracare’s all-in-one practice management and patient engagement solution, health care professionals can conveniently provide services to patients living in remote or rural areas, thus reducing the length of time for a patient to receive care for mental health issues that should be addressed and handled promptly.

To learn more about Adracare and how our robust set of practice management features can help you and your practice combat the current issues in mental health, contact us today!

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