Serena Loh, PMHNP, Shares What She Loves About Working in Telepsychiatry

Iris clinicians are at the heart of what makes our organization such a special place to work. That’s why we’re turning the spotlight on the amazing work they’re doing every day. This month, we’re sitting down to talk with Serena Loh, PMHNP.

Q. How did you find Iris and decide you wanted to be an Iris provider?

A: I found out about Iris through Indeed, where I was looking for telepsychiatry jobs. There was a job posting for a Mandarin-speaking Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). I signed up for that, and I got connected to Erin Schepmann.

Q. What does a typical day as an Iris Telehealth provider look like for you?

A: I work remotely from my home in Indiana and see patients at the Herald Christian Health Center in California. There’s a time difference of three hours, and I start my day at 11:30 a.m. and work until 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. The day involves seeing patients for initial evaluations, which are one hour, and then follow-up sessions are 20-30 minutes. I do the scheduling myself because it’s the easiest when I can book the next appointment with the patient right there with me. It can be hard for the scheduler to get a hold of the patients after their appointment.

It’s very flexible for the amount of time I can see the patients. I work eight hours a day and will have some admin time and a little lunch break. I work very closely with my case manager assistant, Nicole Song. If I have any issues during the day, I’ll send her text messages, and she’ll help me coordinate, which is very helpful. I don’t feel like I’m working alone.

Q. How do you foster connection with patients virtually?

A: For a virtual session, I will explain what the session entails and let them know roughly how much time it takes. On the initial evaluation, I’ll set expectations for no-shows and let them know if there are any questions I ask them that are too personal or too sensitive to be talked about at the first session, they can tell me to skip it, and it’s totally fine. I also let them know if they’re thirsty, they’re welcome to drink water. That can put them at ease. Virtually, most patients will be sitting still, but some patients do different things during the session, which sometimes happens due to their situation. If they’re driving, I’ll ask them if they’ll be able to park soon, let them know we can hold on, or re-schedule if they need.

However, because I work with the low-income bracket in California, some patients don’t always have access to video calls on their phone or wifi capabilities, so sometimes I talk to them over the phone with the company’s app for calling. There is also a clinic within the site where they can go for video calls with me if they can get there.

Q. As a healthcare professional, how do you manage work-life balance?

A: Work-life balance is very important. For me, I try to do something I enjoy every day. Such as reading, exercising, or spending time with my loved ones. I think it’s important to have that self-care time and to set boundaries with checking emails and checking work stuff. On off days, I have to really set a physical, emotional, and mental limit on those.

Q. What are your biggest learnings from your time at Iris?

A: I’ve been learning a lot from my two medical collaborators Dr. Margery Johnson and Dr. Regina Bahten. They’re both very instrumental to my clinical skills and growth as they supervise my work. I learn a lot from them, especially for complex cases. I learn about different ways of treatment and different approaches for conditions such as ADHD.

Q. What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: I think the most rewarding part of my job is having a good relationship with my clinical colleagues at Herald Christian Health Center. I’m very thankful that the health center is a perfect fit for me. And I enjoy working with them a lot because we know there’s a limit to how much we can help patients sometimes. Our role is to be a support and to help them as much as we can with treatment. However, at the end of the day, I feel like I’m part of a team working together for the patient, there’s a great sense of satisfaction – knowing that we all have the same goals, vision, and values.

Q. What do you love about working with Iris?

A: Iris is a very nice company to work for. I remember before I even joined Iris, they sent me a Christmas package, and I was so surprised. And then they sent me a birthday cake and a Christmas present last year. During my first month at Iris, my manager Melissa Kennedy sent me a gift basket of goodies – that’s a lot of goodies from Iris!

Iris is also very responsive to our needs and helps with any issues.

Q. Why do you think telepsychiatry is important to the future of mental healthcare?

A: During the COVID-19 pandemic, facilities shut down, and people didn’t like to travel for fear of catching the virus. Telepsychiatry opens up many options for people who are home-bound, do not have a vehicle, or have difficulty getting transportation to a facility. It opens up access to providers because some places have a shortage of providers, and the wait time is very long, like three to four months. But if you have telepsychiatry, the pool is widened to all over the U.S., as long as the provider is licensed in that state.

Telepsychiatry also gives the patient a shorter waiting time. And, evidence has shown that telepsychiatry is just as effective as in-person psychiatry.

At Iris, we believe our providers should be respected, valued, and applauded for the work they do, and we couldn’t be more proud to say, “thank you” to our very own Serena Loh. If you’d like to learn more about working for Iris Telehealth, contact us today.

Telepsychiatry Services in Action: Meet our CAE Team!

Quick links
How CAEs amplify telepsychiatry services with top-notch support
Dedicated support to hospitals and community organizations
Partner spotlight
Get to know Iris better

Working with a supportive and collaborative organization is vital to long-term success and innovation. At Iris Telehealth, our team of Clinical Alignment Executives (CAEs) are crucial to helping create successful, long-term partnerships that help healthcare organizations make the most out of their behavioral health programs and ensure patients get the care they need. This team helps organizations deliver on their behavioral health strategy and enables program growth.

We can’t wait for you to learn more about their work and how they’re helping healthcare organizations change lives daily with telemental health services.

How CAEs amplify telepsychiatry services with top-notch support

So, who are the CAEs? The Iris CAEs serve as the primary point of contact for our partners and help ensure they continually experience a superior level of support that enables them to deliver the best care possible to their patient population. To make this support possible, our CAEs get to know who’s who within the organization’s team, help expand partnerships, and find new ways to deliver value.

To keep tabs on the value they’re delivering, our CAEs work closely with our partner organizations to measure success collaboratively. The insights from this collaboration can also help show us if a metric is not trending in the right direction and allows us to intervene early and provide additional support.

Across our partnerships with healthcare organizations, both big and small, our CAEs work in tandem to ensure our partners have what they need to continue to grow and do what they do best – care for patients.

Want to see what our partnerships look like in action? Check out our work with Geisinger Health!

Dedicated support to hospitals and community organizations

On a day-to-day basis, Iris CAEs engage in regular touchpoints with key stakeholders, learning about upcoming initiatives and figuring out what they can do to support the organization’s behavioral health needs further.

Here are a few other key benefits CAEs bring to the table:

  • Big picture strategy: Iris CAEs have conversations with our partners around key objectives and potential gaps in their behavioral health model. They also check to see if there are any patient populations they aren’t reaching with their current care services. If gaps are determined, our CAEs work to understand if there are things we can do to help bridge and support.
  • Leveraging KPIs, data, and metrics: We’re always looking at how we’re performing to ensure we’re hitting our expectations and the expectations of our partners. Our CAEs use data to tell the story of our service lines’ successes, guide partner discussions, and showcase our value.
  • Alignment: One of the benefits of having a dedicated support team is streamlined communication. At Iris, key stakeholders always know who to reach out to if they need support. Additionally, because we work with many different organizations, we can share what has and hasn’t worked well for other partners and share internal resources and relevant tips. We also connect partners within the same area who are most likely encounter similar types of challenges to share advice and best practices.
  • Financial stewards: We understand the financial landscape of our partners and make sure we’re good financial stewards for them. We also ensure our providers are within their contract rate ranges – and, we work to secure the most qualified and best candidates for the partner at the right price point.

Partner spotlight

Here’s a look at just some of the ways our teams have been able to effectively support our Iris Telehealth partners:

“We’ve really been pleased with Iris Telehealth just because of the open communication and the regular meetings. I can’t say that we have those being held within the other groups that we get other physicians or NPs from so we really appreciate that.”

– Clinical Director at Western Tidewater regarding monthly check-in meetings

“If I had to recommend a direction to get a psychiatric provider today, I would say we need to work with Iris. I truly appreciate when people are skilled at what they’re doing, do it quickly, do it well, and are so responsive.”

– Clinical Director at Middle Peninsula reflecting on the match-implementation process

“This summer I had no idea how our patients were going to get seen. We were in bad straits and now I am able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. People are getting served, they’re getting through our door. Without our Iris team we wouldn’t even be able to get them in the door.”

– Clinical Director at AuSable Valley on creating greater access to care through telepsychiatry services

Get to know Iris better

If you’d like to learn more about how our CAEs can help support your organization, contact us today! Our CAEs are actively working to help community organizations and hospitals and health systems meet the needs of the patients in communities just like yours.

How Does Telehealth Work for Mental Health Care?

Quick links
Telemental health services solve common challenges
How telemental health works for organizations
How telehealth works for certain conditions and populations
How Iris can help

If you’re looking to implement telehealth services into your organization, you might wonder, “how does telehealth work?” We’ve broken down all the need-to-know information – starting with the definition of telemental health services.

Telemental health services are a growing and effective way to provide behavioral health care to people living in rural and underserved communities and hospitals experiencing a high influx of patients seeking behavioral health care. Telemental health services can take place on-site at an organization’s clinic or virtually from the patient’s home. Additionally, researchers say that within a few years, there will be a shortage and overextension of psychiatrists and other behavioral health workers, positioning telehealth as an excellent way to treat underserved populations and bridge care gaps.

But how does telehealth work for mental health care? Keep reading to learn about the benefits of telehealth, what telepsychiatry looks like in practice, and how it can be an invaluable resource for communities and providers alike.

Telemental health services solve common challenges

With an increased demand for specialty mental health treatment and a lack of resources to meet these needs, providing patients with access to high-quality psychiatric care through a virtual visit can help solve these common challenges. Telemental health can benefit providers as well, giving them specialists to lean on when working with patients with behavioral health needs.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of the benefits for patients and providers.

Patient satisfaction: In a study by the American Medical Association (AMA), 79% of patients were satisfied with the care they received during their last telehealth visit. The option of having telehealth at your organization means patients can take their sessions from the comfort of their home or on-site at your organization, leading to greater patient satisfaction. Utilizing telehealth services can decrease no-show rates and ultimately increase access for people who experience conditions that make it hard for them to receive the care they need. Virtual visits also combat challenges related to long commute times, lack of transportation, and taking time off work.

Provider satisfaction: Provider satisfaction is also important to organizations that want to make sure their clinicians love their work. By incorporating virtual providers into your team, you can support your on-site clinicians with mental health specialists, enabling them to better serve their patients. Once integrated, remote providers feel like an extension of your on-site team and help create a better patient experience for your community.

How telemental health works for organizations

One of the benefits of bringing telemental health providers onto your team is consistency. With telemental health, there is no difference in the level of care, length of treatment, or how a provider conducts their appointment between a virtual and on-site appointment.

Whether you’re seeing your patients on-site or from their homes, here are a few steps you can take to ensure telehealth will work for your organization:

  • Enable flexible access to virtual care: When implementing telemental health into your community organization, your patients have the option to receive their care on-site or take their appointments from home. When they are on-site, there is a video set up allowing them to connect with their remote provider. When a patient is seen from home, providers use a platform that directly connects them to the patient.
  • Make sure your telehealth partner can integrate into your electronic medical record (EMR): Telehealth vendors should be able to seamlessly integrate into your systems and workflows. That’s why at Iris, we’re technology neutral and work with whatever platform an organization is using. Because we’re accustomed to the wide variety of equipment and EMRs on the market, we’re well-versed in the types of problems that might occur and can help reduce the frustration that comes with technology. (Want to learn more about EMRs and telepsychiatry? Check out our blog for all the details.)
  • Work in collaborative care teams: Telepsychiatry can elevate the integrated care model and empower collaboration between on-site and remote providers. For instance, over a virtual appointment, it’s difficult to tell with certainty if a patient has an injury or any physical discomforts. An on-site provider can identify these things and relay the information to the remote provider. The partnership between both providers allows for a better diagnosis in the long run.
  • Ensure you have a telehealth champion on-site at your organization: The biggest thing that will aid in the implementation of telehealth is to have a “telehealth champion” on-site. This champion is someone that believes in telehealth, understands it’s benefits, and can help others on-site see the benefits as well. A clinical setting with a champion helps remote providers ease into a care team leading to a more effective and seamless application of telehealth.
  • Team up with a telepsychiatry vendor that offers provider matching: The provider matching process looks at what a provider wants in a job (think culture, values, schedule) and matches it with what an organization is looking for in a mental health professional (think specialty and experience). This match-making process helps both parties attain what they want and need, increases provider satisfaction, and ensures quality of care for organizations and their patients. Working with a telepsychiatry vendor that offers provider-matching services makes it easier to find a provider who can meet your organization’s needs and fill in care gaps.

How telehealth works for certain conditions and populations

It is essential to take a close look at what your patient populations want and need. For example, if your organization provides care to rural populations or non-English speaking communities, your organization may benefit from using telepsychiatry to help connect these populations to bilingual providers from the comfort of their own homes.

While telehealth can help patients address mental health concerns broadly, let’s take a closer look at how it can assist with specific conditions:

  • Eating disorders: With a team that includes a doctor, a therapist, and a dietitian, treatment over telehealth can be an option for patients. Virtual nutrition coaching and talk therapy have contributed to addressing eating disorders. Eating disorders are increasingly prevalent among children and younger adults, and early intervention helps patients take the necessary steps to potentially avoid serious illness.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): For those struggling with PTSD, it can be hard to make an in-person appointment, especially if they can be triggered outside the comfort of their own home. By eliminating travel for patients with PTSD and using telehealth, your organization can allow your patients to receive specialty care and more flexibility with scheduling.
  • Depression: The American Journal of Preventative Medicine says that 1 in 10 Americans reported having depression in 2020, with younger adults and adolescents having higher rates. Getting mental health care can be difficult for those with depression. Symptoms make it hard to get out of bed, get dressed, and sometimes meet face-to-face with a provider. Telehealth can offer an effective alternative for patients with depression to receive care, as it relieves many of those difficulties.
  • Anxiety: According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost 31.1% of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Diagnosing and treating patients through telehealth can be a great option. It gives them more privacy, comfort, and convenience, improving their experience. The anxiety of leaving the house, waiting in uncomfortable waiting rooms, or unfamiliar settings may help if telemental health services are available for your patients.

How Iris can help

Iris Telehealth is here as a resource for healthcare organizations that need support transitioning into telehealth. Whether your patients are accessing mental health services on-site or from their home, we’ll help ensure your community and providers are set up for success with a team committed to your organization’s vision for successful behavioral health services. Contact us today to see if our telepsychiatry services would be a good match for your organization.

The Benefits of Telepsychiatry During Provider Shortages

Quick links
Understanding the provider and patient experience
The benefits of telepsychiatry and collaborative care
Three key ways telepsychiatry is indispensable during shortages
Where Iris Telehealth fits in

America’s provider shortage continues to grow, and people across the country are feeling the strain. Between the greater demand for treatment, limited residency spots, and a decrease in stigma around mental health treatment, there’s a clear need for effective patient care and more providers. By the numbers, the behavioral health provider shortage impacts 129 million Americans, with over three-quarters of U.S. counties experiencing a severe lack of mental health prescribers or non-prescribers.

Thankfully, telepsychiatry can help healthcare organizations across the country keep up with the growing demand for mental health care. Keep reading to learn how telepsychiatry can help your organization combat the provider shortage and provide your community with the high-quality care it needs.

Understanding the provider and patient experience

Today, many providers are experiencing high levels of burnout nd loss of job satisfaction. For organizations, burnout means decreased continuity of care for their patients and more barriers to hiring quality providers. For patients, this shortage of psychiatrists equates to waiting lists and considerable time spent sitting in the emergency department (ED) waiting for help.

Let’s take a look at what each of these experiences looks like up close:

  • Providers: Provider burnout is a significant issue, affecting 78% of psychiatrists. Contributing factors to burnout may include work environment, compassion fatigue, and struggle to achieve work-life balance. At Iris Telehealth, we remove barriers like paperwork, credentialing, and licensing. That way, they can have the time, flexibility, and support to care for themselves and their patients. And when providers are healthy and happy, their patients get the high-quality care they need.
  • Patients: Patients are critically impacted by psychiatry shortages. For patients, getting care when and where they need it is crucial, and long waits can cause them to go into crisis. In fact, long wait times have led to crises in emergency departments across the U.S. With a lack of beds and providers to meet patient needs, people are spending extensive amounts of time waiting for treatment.

Telepsychiatry can help patients get the care they need when they need it. In the community space, telepsychiatry can connect patients with high-quality, experienced providers who can help them get the right care, including medication recommendations and therapy. For organizations seeking providers who can care for the needs of specific populations, this help is crucial. Telepsychiatry allows organizations to recruit top-quality providers from a wider geographic pool.

The benefits of telepsychiatry and collaborative care

There are several steps healthcare organizations can take to help compensate for the lack of providers, including implementing telepsychiatry and investing in collaborative care. Telepsychiatry delivers quality, sustainable behavioral health care to healthcare organizations while also providing best-in-class support and expertise.

Organizations are also leaning into collaborative care. In fact, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and primary care clinics are expanding their mental health offerings – investing in LCSWs, therapists, psychiatrists, and PMHNPs to embrace this model. Collaborative care is elevated by telepsychiatry and makes specialty care more accessible. Providing this level of access to those in rural areas, where finding providers can be particularly challenging, is especially important.

Telepsychiatry simplifies this process by integrating into multiple locations with one set of staff. For instance, you might have one primary care provider in an eight-county rural area. Instead of finding eight providers to go into each clinic, having one who can plug into several locations is highly beneficial.

Three key ways telepsychiatry is indispensable during shortages

Telepsychiatry is a powerful tool that connects patients with high-quality care and helps organizations expand their behavioral health programs while supporting their on-site teams. Because of these benefits, telepsychiatry has become indispensable during provider shortages.

Let’s look at three other reasons telepsychiatry stands out as a solution during the provider shortage:

  1. Telepsychiatry has an expansive reach: Telepsychiatry connects organizations with high-quality, specialty providers they wouldn’t otherwise be able to access. If an organization in rural America needs a provider who practices within a particular specialty, they can virtually bring them into their clinic or hospital and provide valuable care to underserved populations.
  2. Telepsychiatry can reduce provider burnout: Telepsychiatry is especially beneficial to providers as it cuts the commute out of their day, gives them more time and flexibility, and combats compassion fatigue. It also allows for more self-care time, lets them work with a population they wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach, and ultimately helps increase work satisfaction.
  3. Patients get the care they need when they need it: Telepsychiatry connects patients to specialty care and helps organizations avoid care gaps. It also provides the long-term sustainability patients and providers need to build relationships.

Where Iris Telehealth fits in

At Iris, we are dedicated to improving patient outcomes with exceptional behavioral health care. We match your organization with the best behavioral health providers for your community, provide the behavioral health expertise you need to optimize your program, and deliver best-in-class support to make telepsychiatry a seamless, long-term solution for your healthcare organization and your patients.

Contact us today if you’d like to implement a telepsychiatry solution into your organization.