How River Valley Health & Dental Improved Access to Psychiatry with Iris Telehealth

River Valley Health & Dental partnered with Iris Telehealth to expand access to psychiatric care for patients across Pennsylvania’s Lycoming County. By integrating remote psychiatric providers into its care model, the federally qualified health center (FQHC) can connect patients with care in a matter of days—sometimes as quickly as the next day—rather than having them wait months for an appointment in the community.

Background

ARiver Valley Health & Dental is an FQHC serving approximately 17,000 patients across Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, a 1,200-square-mile region with more than 114,000 residents. The organization serves as a one-stop resource for a wide range of services, including medical, dental, reproductive, chiropractic and behavioral health care, as well as pharmacy, social, legal and financial services. As the behavioral health needs of its community grew, integrating psychiatry and therapy became increasingly important to providing comprehensive patient care.

Challenge

Access to psychiatric care had become particularly difficult for River Valley patients, including those receiving medical assistance. Before implementing telepsychiatry, the behavioral health team had to navigate outside agencies, insurance requirements and providers’ willingness to treat specific clinical needs to find appropriate care. These variables often limited patients’ options and could leave them waiting months for psychiatric appointments in the community.

Solution

Access to psychiatric care had become particularly difficult for River Valley patients, including those receiving medical assistance. Before implementing telepsychiatry, the behavioral health team had to navigate outside agencies, insurance requirements and providers’ willingness to treat specific clinical needs to find appropriate care. These variables often limited patients’ options and could leave them waiting months for psychiatric appointments in the community.

Results

With Iris Telehealth, River Valley can now connect patients with psychiatric care within a couple of days and, in some cases, provide a next-day appointment rather than having patients wait months for community-based care. The partnership has also given the behavioral health team greater confidence that patients will receive appropriate care while simplifying coordination and communication. As River Valley continues to grow, the organization has a scalable telepsychiatry model to help meet increasing demand for behavioral health services.

To learn more about River Valley Health, you can visit their website here. If you’d like learn more about collaborating with Iris to improve access to mental healthcare in your community, contact us today!