Mental Health in the Black Community: Ways to Increase Care and Access

Quick links
How providers can address mental health in the Black community
How organizations can address mental health in the Black community
How telehealth can help address mental health in the Black community
Resources and education opportunities for providers
How Iris Telehealth can help

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), only one in three Black adults with mental illness receive treatment, compared to 40% of white adults. Additionally, there has been a recent spike in depression and anxiety among Black Americans amid protests and racial trauma. Discrimination continues to be a significant source of stress for Black Americans, with 48% reporting discrimination as a stressor.

When thinking about mental health in the Black community, it’s important to put into perspective how their experiences are impacted by culture and history. While the civil rights movement of the 1960s ended the visible racial and ethnic barriers enabling segregation, racism still exists today, often in more hidden forms like healthcare inequality.

Organizations can work to address these inequalities by helping create better access to mental health support and providing more culturally competent care. Keep reading to find new resources and strategies your organization can use to better support the mental health of Black Americans in your community.

How providers can address mental health in the Black community

Studies consistently show that Black Americans are often undertreated and misdiagnosed. According to a report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Black and Hispanic patients receive inferior care compared to white adults on 40% of quality measures. These quality measures examined effective treatment, care coordination, and affordable care.

To help improve care and prioritize this population’s well-being, here are a few best practices you can implement to provide effective support and communication:

  • Proper screening and follow-ups: The Black community is 20% more likely to experience a serious mental health condition, like Major Depressive Disorder or Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Proper screening and thorough assessments allow Black patients to combat undertreatment and misdiagnosis. Implementing proper screening could improve treatment for mental health problems and reduce disparities in care.
  • Be conscious and mindful: Recognizing personal biases in treatment can enhance patient care. A patient who notices a provider’s implicit bias could feel less inclined to engage with their provider. By integrating culture and family history and addressing the significance of your patient’s background into the treatment of your Black patients, you can drastically improve quality of care.
  • Educate yourself: Learning about the population you’re treating should be ongoing. By taking deliberate and conscious action, you can help address inequalities, grow your own awareness, and improve as a provider overall.

How organizations can address mental health in the Black community

As a healthcare organization, creating an environment where Black Americans receive culturally competent care is vital. Here are several different ways your organization can ensure your Black patients get the care they need and deserve:

  • Train a workforce that resembles the patient population: According to the American Psychiatric Association, only 2% of psychiatrists identify as Black. Some Black patients may feel they can better connect with a provider who shares their same background and can identify with their specific cultural stressors. By training a workforce that can relate to the experiences of Black American patients, you can help improve cultural competency. Regardless of similarity in ethnicity, compassion and cultural competency are crucial when treating patients from all backgrounds.
  • Engage with the community: In an article by the American Medical Association, they highlighted seven ways to improve Black health in mind and body. One of these ways was for those in healthcare leadership to engage with the Black community and meet them where they are by attending community events, partnering with community leaders, and working to dispel the distrust against medical establishments. Outside of a medical environment, leadership can focus on making connections with the community, staying open, and being transparent.
  • Address social determinants of health: Organizations can seek strategies to connect patients to community and government resources. Some strategies could include care planning, partnering with community organizations, or linking patients with resources to fulfill their needs. A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) can provide this type of support specifically to individuals by connecting them with necessary resources in their community.
  • Incorporate telemental health: Adopting telehealth can be a great tool for Black patients. For some people, getting the care they need can be difficult due to transportation issues, caregiving responsibilities, or the obstacle of finding a culturally competent provider. Telehealth can connect patients to the care they need by helping them work with a specialist regardless of where they’re located.

How telehealth can help address mental health in the Black community

In 2020, a study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania reported that 33% of Black patients’ appointments were completed via telemedicine. Additionally, this study showed that Black Americans used telemedicine more often than non-Black patients.

While this population faces many challenges, from stigma to lack of culturally competent care, technology can help promote better mental health care. Here are a few ways telehealth can help:

  • Telehealth connects patients to culturally competent care: Telehealth can connect Black patients to providers who can better understand their experiences and provide cultural sensitivity. No matter where they are located, black patients can find someone who can provide high-quality mental health care for them.
  • Telehealth offers flexibility: For some patients, the flexibility of receiving care from a remote location, like their home, can bring many benefits. Telehealth usage for Black Americans could help prevent stigma, increase flexibility for busier patients, and better manage their health. Black Americans can feel at ease knowing they have options to manage their mental health.
  • Telehealth improves outcomes: Utilizing telehealth can enhance patient outcomes. It allows providers to work with caregivers and improve clinician workflows. According to Health Recovery Solutions, the best patient outcomes come from a balance of patient engagement, clinician satisfaction, and healthcare resources. Black patients can receive the best care possible when they’re engaged in follow-ups, chronic condition management, and medication management.

Resources and education opportunities for providers

There are many resources available for providers and organizations looking to learn more about offering enhanced mental health care for Black Americans.

Here are a few to help you get started:

How Iris Telehealth can help

Whether you’re an organization looking to implement telehealth into your practice or a clinician looking to provide care to specific populations, Iris Telehealth can help. We can help you provide culturally competent care and connect your patients with their best provider match. Contact us today to learn how you can implement an effective and culturally competent telepsychiatry program.

The Staying Power of Telehealth

Quick links
Telehealth bridges care gaps
Telemedicine use among Americans
Rules and regulations related to telehealth
Telehealth satisfaction by numbers
How Iris Telehealth can help

During the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, many providers, organizations, and patients turned to telehealth as a way to deliver and receive mental health services. In fact, by 2022, more than 1 in 5 Americans were using telehealth to receive care.

But is telehealth here to stay for the long haul? We think so. Telehealth has become the new normal and will continue to impact the behavioral health space with its ability to provide effective, quality care and create greater access for those who need mental health treatment. Keep reading to learn about the impact of telehealth, new rules and regulations making telehealth available to more people, and how telehealth has positioned itself as a mainstay in healthcare.

Telehealth bridges care gaps

One of the central reasons we believe telehealth is here to stay is because of its ability to improve access to care for people facing transportation and financial challenges or those encountering obstacles related to stigma and race. Expanded access is especially impactful for patients living in rural areas as telehealth allows them to connect with high-quality care even if there’s not a provider living in their geographical region. For those from different cultural backgrounds, telehealth can reduce discomfort and increase understanding of cultural nuances.

Telehealth enables organizations to draw from a large provider pool, allowing patients to connect with providers who address specialized needs, speak the same language, or have similar cultural experiences. This connection through telehealth offers a better understanding between the patient and provider, leading to better health outcomes.

Telemedicine use among Americans

Another positive sign of telehealth’s staying power is recent data on usage and the benefits it brings to specific populations. No matter what type of provider and where individuals are located, telepsychiatry meets Americans right where they are.

Patient populations who stand to benefit the most from telehealth include:

  • Older adults: Many older adults experience barriers to access, have unnoticed behavioral health conditions, or other medical conditions that might need attention on top of their mental health. Among adults aged 50-80, telehealth usage jumped from 4% in May 2019 to 26% in June 2020.
  • LGBTQIA+: LBGTQIA+ adults and youth can be impacted by discrimination in healthcare settings. The offering of remote care delivery can help them receive non-discriminatory care from a safe location. Telehealth offers privacy and security for members of the LGBTQIA+ community who might be faced with stigma. With 60% of LGBTQIA+ youth reporting that they wanted to receive mental health care in 2020, telehealth can be one solution to ensure they receive the care and support they need.
  • Rural Americans: Rural Americans can face stigma as well, especially when there can be a lack of anonymity in their communities. With one-third of Americans worrying about others judging them for seeking mental health treatment, telepsychiatry offers an opportunity for rural communities to receive the same level of care as a metropolitan area without the stigma involved.
  • Mothers: According to a recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), 60% of women had telemedicine visits in the past two years. Women are more likely to use telehealth in a post-COVID world. The convenience of virtual care can be beneficial for women who are caregivers, or for those who reside in a health professional shortage area (HPSA).

Recently, telehealth has been recognized at a policy level – underscoring how crucial this platform is to people’s well-being. After COVID-19 started impacting communities across the country, telehealth restrictions loosened. Millions of patients could meet with their healthcare providers via a smartphone or another digital device. And this level of access has continued.

New bills from the executive branch could point to telehealth usage expanding. The latest Omnibus Bill that President Biden recently signed will put at least $10 billion into behavioral health in 2023. The bill will extend telehealth flexibilities for Medicare beneficiaries, buprenorphine deregulation, and put more money towards expanding workforce development programs in the behavioral health space.

With the healthcare landscape changing at a policy level in a post-pandemic world, the future of telehealth is likely to create impactful change in access and delivery of healthcare.

Telehealth satisfaction by numbers

By the numbers, patients and providers are widely satisfied with the benefits and convenience that telehealth delivers. Here are a few key ways telehealth is making an impact:

  • Patient satisfaction: One of the largest benefits of telepsychiatry is patient satisfaction and experience. A new study about patient satisfaction showed that 63% of patients had their medical and social needs met by their providers over telehealth. These results indicate that patients are satisfied with the care they receive when using telehealth.
  • Convenience: Another survey conducted by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) says that Americans value the convenience associated with telehealth. The results noted that 69% of Americans prefer telehealth services over in-person care for convenience.
  • Provider satisfaction: Telehealth offers excellent value to providers. The American Medical Association (AMA) states that providers have enjoyed using telehealth, as 85% of providers agreed that it increased the timeliness of care, and 70% were even motivated to increase telehealth use for their patients.
  • Accessibility: Telehealth serves as a bridge between patients and providers. According to a study conducted by McKinsey & Company, providers have been seeing 50 to 175 times more patients via telehealth than before the pandemic. More providers using telehealth means more patients can be seen. Telehealth benefits both patients and providers by allowing more patients to get through the door without missing their appointments.
  • Health outcomes: Telehealth opens communication between providers and patients, leading to better health outcomes. This communication can help patients take better care of themselves and be more proactive with their health. Medical Economics shares that 93% of patients would use telemedicine to manage prescriptions and 91% of patients would use telemedicine to adhere to appointments.

How Iris Telehealth can help

Iris Telehealth can help you meet your organization’s behavioral health goals by making the implementation of a telepsychiatry solution as easy as possible. We believe integral to the future of behavioral health, offering many benefits for your organization, patients, and clinicians. Contact us today to see how our telepsychiatry services can help your team provide high-quality care for your patients.

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.

Clinician Corner: Meet Veronica Im, LCSW

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 Veronica Im, an LCSW practicing in California.

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

A: It started with the pandemic. The pandemic made me think about how I can make sure I can do my work without putting my life at risk at the same time. I was looking more into telehealth, and I noticed that with the pandemic, it had shifted. There has been a lot of new technology that helps make telehealth work.

I thought being able to do this work in the comfort of my own home made more sense for me and allowed me to do the work I wanted to do without having to put myself out or make things more stressful for me, given everything that has gone on in the last few years.

Iris was one of the telehealth companies I was interested in working for. I decided to look more into it and applied, and that’s how I got to where I am now with Iris.

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

A: I’m primarily doing intake assessments with clients seeking any kind of mental health services, whether it be therapy, psychiatry, case management, rehabilitation, or even substance use recovery services. I am one of the first clinicians they meet with. I gather everything from information about their past mental health history to how they’re doing now. Then, I make clinical assessments based on what I think might be the most appropriate for them, and being that I’m working with a county clinic, they tend to take more severely mentally ill patients. I have to differentiate who has severe symptoms or mild to moderate symptoms. Those I feel have severe symptoms qualify for care at this clinic. If they have mild to moderate symptoms, I refer them to their health plan, primary care physician, or another avenue to get mental health services. I’m that point clinician who guides them where they need to go.

I also do individual therapy. However, that tends to be the smaller portion because most of my work is intake assessments, which take more time. The clinic sets aside three hours for assessment, and they schedule individual therapy in between. I see anywhere between four to seven clients for individual therapy every week. For intake assessment, I’ll probably see between five to 10 people, depending on the schedule.

Then another thing I do within my role is a monthly video check-in with clients in the counties that are conserved. These would be the clients living in places like a board in care or an inpatient facility. They themselves aren’t able to make decisions on their own related to their finances or their healthcare. I do monthly video check-ins to see how they’re doing if their needs are met, how they’re managing their day-to-day, and the progress they make towards independence.

Q. How do you foster connection with patients virtually?

A: A part of what helps with connection is being there to listen to what’s going on in the present moment. As much as it’s nice to have someone you can meet with in person, for me, as long as I can maintain eye contact as much as I can, ask questions about how they’re doing, and reflect back on how they’re feeling to get a sense of what’s going on has helped foster that connection with clients. It shows with the clients I’ve met over the last year.

Often these clients haven’t really been in the mental health system. They’ve never seen a therapist or had this type of interaction with anyone before. Even doing sessions on the computer, even if it’s strange for them, it’s still someone who is listening and being there for them in a way they haven’t had support before. I try to show that I’m here, even though I’m not technically there. I think the clients see that.

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

A: Work-life balance, at least for me, is ongoing. It’s not set in stone. Having worked with Iris over the last year, I have found that work-life balance. It’s partially why I wanted to go into telehealth. In previous positions, it’s been challenging to manage self-care and find time for myself, my family, and other people in my life. Here, that’s something I’ve been able to manage because I’m not commuting anymore or worrying about getting home at a certain hour. It gives me time to separate work and home life.

In the position I had before Iris, I was out in the field every day. I was seeing clients in their homes, which also ate into my day. I felt like shifting from seeing clients at their homes and trying to find the time to do my notes and documentation to this job where I’ve been able to meet someone over telehealth, quickly document, and not have to spend an exhausting amount of time figuring out how to fit everything in one day has helped. Iris has been good about helping me manage that so far.

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

A: Other than being able to manage work-life balance, the biggest thing I’ve found rewarding is working with the clients in Tehama county. Before this job, I didn’t realize that so many rural areas of California or other parts of the state don’t have a lot of mental health services. Over the last year, I’ve learned that we are really needed in these areas. To be one of the clinicians who can help clients who have not really had mental health services before or who’ve been waiting forever to get mental health services, has been great.

Q. What do you love about working with Iris?

A: Being supported by staff has been amazing and maintaining a work-life balance. That’s what a lot of us strive for overall. I’ve found that here within Iris. I do a lot of work, and there are times when it is busy, but I don’t feel like I’m to the point of being overstressed, overworked, or burned out. There is this sense of being able to relax at the end of the day, and I don’t have to worry about all these other external factors that you would have in a job that is in person or requires you to drive. I definitely like being able to have that balance.

The staff I have worked with at Iris, for example, like David Mariano and Lauren Katz, have been really supportive in advocating for whatever I need. They check in with me once in a while to make sure that I’m continuing to be supported and that I’m happy with Iris. I appreciate that because it shows they care about the well-being of the clinicians here. There are a lot of organizations that don’t always prioritize clinicians. Iris does that, which I really enjoy.

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

A: Telepsychiatry is very important to the future of mental healthcare because it’s becoming more accessible to communities that cannot get care in person. For example, many clients really want mental health services, but what prevents them from getting that care is transportation, getting to the clinics, finding an appointment, and trying to balance that. Many people out there need therapy but don’t have the time to go somewhere for a therapy appointment. Telehealth, in general, is the future. You get to meet with a clinician without having to leave the comfort of your home or having to be somewhere else.

Telehealth makes things a lot quicker and a lot more accessible. As someone who has utilized telehealth in the past, it is very beneficial because I work full time, and it can be hard to find time to sit down and talk with someone about whatever’s going on. With telehealth, at least in my experience, providers have always been flexible with the times you can meet. It makes it easier to work on what you’re going through when you’re ready or have the chance to.

Q. How does teletherapy compare to in-person care?

A: When comparing teletherapy to in-person care, there are certain differences. Of course, you have the aspect of someone being there with you in a room physically, compared to staring at someone on the screen. That’s a major difference. Outside of that, having worked in telehealth, I don’t see much of a difference because, at the end of the day, you’re still getting the same quality level of care you would receive if you met someone in person. The therapists have the same level of education and experience and can bring in their compassion and expertise through video. Outside of being physically in the room with someone, I’d say the quality of care would be the same.

Q. What advice would you give someone new to teletherapy?

A: If you’re practicing teletherapy for the first time, the most important thing is learning to make eye contact with the camera. With teletherapy, it might feel awkward at times. It’s not something that everyone’s used to until down the line. Of course, people will become more used to it, but being able to maintain that eye contact with the camera means that you’re looking at the client. Our eyes sometimes shift when we’re looking at a screen and we’re looking around. But it’s one of the things that even clients have given me advice about in the past. They’ll say, “I want to feel like you’re looking at me compared to looking down or around.”

I took that advice to heart. When I meet with clients, I always try to make sure that I’m looking at the camera even though I’m not necessarily looking at them, but I give them that warning that once in a while, I might look offscreen because I’m looking at you instead of looking at the camera. That’s my biggest advice. Otherwise, being able to practice the format of looking at a computer screen doing therapy is probably the only other advice I would give. Overall, I think most clinicians would do fine.

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 Veronica Im. If you’d like to learn more about working for Iris Telehealth, contact us today.

The Importance of Joint Commission Accreditation

For over 70 years, The Joint Commission (TJC) has served to uphold care quality standards to improve patient care across the healthcare industry. As the preeminent healthcare accreditation organization, TJC sets quality standards, evaluates the performance of healthcare organizations across the country, and provides the solutions and resources organizations need to improve their practices.

For behavioral health care, we know that maintaining quality, consistent care and ensuring patient safety across their experience is absolutely critical. If you’re in the process of expanding your behavioral health program or services, vetting partner organizations for TJC accreditation is a great place to start.

The benefits of working with a Joint Commission accredited partner

When you work with a healthcare organization that is TJC accredited you can be confident your patients and your communities will be receiving the best care possible and that all care will be delivered with quality and patient safety as the top priorities

Here are just a few additional benefits to working with a TJC accredited partner:

  • Dedication to continuous improvement: When a healthcare organization is accredited by TJC, you can rest assured that the organization is not only dedicated to continuously meeting rigorous national standards for care, but is also looking to constantly improve their care efforts to keep up with evolving best practices.
  • Ability to conduct credentialing by proxy: TJC accredited telehealth organizations meet the regulatory requirements for telemedicine credentialing and are qualified to conduct credentialing by proxy (CBP). This qualification allows health systems to leverage the benefits of telepsychiatry without incurring the full administrative burden associated with the traditional credentialing process.
  • Confidence in your partner’s management practices: Because a TJC accredited healthcare organization is subject to regular audits by the Joint Commission to ensure they’re in compliance with TJC standards, your organization can be confident that any TJC accredited partner will be utilizing sound management practices that put patient safety and care quality first.

For more information about TJC standards and the accreditation process, you can visit their website here.

Iris Telehealth has been Joint Commission accredited since 2019

Iris Telehealth first received TJC accreditation in 2019 and officially had our accreditation status recertified in November 2022. That status further cements our commitment to providing exceptional care and support to our partners and patients across the country.
As a psychiatric medical group that is TJC accredited as a Behavioral Healthcare & Human Services Organization, we believe it is important to hold our patient care standards at the same level as our health system partners, if not higher.

Through this ongoing commitment these standards continue to be at the forefront of how we operate our medical group – from provider selection, standards of patient care, compliance, and regulatory oversight.

If you’re interested in learning more about what partnership with Iris Telehealth looks like,contact us today and we’d be happy to get the conversation started.

Clinician Corner:
Meet Dr. Jaskirit Gill, MD

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 Dr. Jaskirit Gill.

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

A: I was referred to Iris by a colleague. Before I worked at Iris, I was doing locums work and looking for a more permanent fit. I talked to several colleagues at other telehealth companies and one at Iris. I did my due diligence. I spoke to other telehealth companies, along with Iris. However, there were a few things that made me choose Iris.

One of them was that they had a benefits package. It was a few years ago, and many telehealth companies were doing 1099s. Another unique thing was the fact that they did the match process. I felt like there was a lot of thoughtfulness. They thought about what would be a good long-term fit. When looking for a permanent job, you’re really thinking about what will be sustainable. I felt out of the options available at the time, Iris was the most sustainable option for my career and my family. My family is growing, so it was important for me to think about what would work three or two and a half years ago and what would work now.

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

A: I start in the morning reviewing the huddle. I’m lucky that my clinic gives me a huddle. We have the patients scheduled, so I know who I’m going to see every day. I get some notes from the primary service provider and the nurses. I start the day very prepared. I know exactly what to expect, which is a huge positive, especially in psychiatry which can be unpredictable. This workload is very predictable, and I really appreciate that.

After I do the huddle, I see my morning patients. I have time to catch up on my notes, have lunch, and then see my afternoon patients. Then, I wrap up, and I’m usually done by five, which is really nice. I think one of the biggest things I like is that it’s really done at 5. I’m not being called afterward. For me, I think that it’s really important that there really is a clear end to the workday. That provides a lot of help not only for my family but for my peace of mind.

Q. What do you love about being a telepsychiatry provider?

A: I love providing patient care to people who may not have had access to a psychiatrist before. The clinic that I’m at is more in a rural area. I think they only have one psychiatrist in the county. I know many patients I see were on a long waiting list, or their family doctor was doing their best to manage the condition. Telepsychiatry really helps to reach those areas. A lot of people may not want to live in a rural area but would still like to help service those areas. I felt Iris provided a really unique opportunity to live in a region that I want to live in, but still be able to provide services to people who may not have access to care.

Q. How do you foster connection with patients virtually?

A: I think it’s really the same as in person. You make eye contact, listen, and meet them where they’re at. I feel, maybe since I grew up with technology, and especially in the pandemic, talking with my friends on Zoom felt no different. It’s as if they were sitting in front of me. I would say it’s identical to how you connect in real life. You listen, and you really try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Then you use the tools and resources you may have to help that person with whatever situation they’re dealing with.

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

A: I think I’m really lucky in that regard. Telehealth makes it much easier to manage work-life balance. Before, when I was doing locums, it was very disruptive to my family life because I would be moving or need to be in a certain place; maybe that was not close to my family. And with telepsychiatry, one thing I thought about that’s unique is even if I move, my family, or my husband, if his job moves to Chicago, that doesn’t mean I have to find a new job. I think before you move out of state, you may move 45 minutes away because that’s where affordable housing is, that means finding a new job. But I don’t think that’s the case anymore. With my role, I can live anywhere and still keep my job, which is unique.

I think the key with telehealth is that it’s not only sustainable, but it’s also really stable. I do not have to go to a locums assignment here or there. I can stay with my family for the most part. And still have benefits, pay my bills, and be around if grandma needs anything. That’s huge for me.

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

A: I learned, especially during the pandemic, the power of people. I’m just one person, and Iris is a big company with lots of people who do lots of things. There are lots of patients and clinics. I was amazed at how well people worked together and their resilience. It really touched me to realize that healthcare providers are doing so much, but there are also so many people behind the scenes who make that happen. That keeps the lights on and makes sure I have internet. In really challenging and uncertain times, people persevered, and I think I played a small part in that if any. It was the collective people and the power of that.

Q. What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

A: The most rewarding part is my team. I’m privileged to have a role where I provide care and service to others and try my best to help people. The fact that I have such great support with Iris and such great support with my clinic – all of that is really unique. A lot of doctors who were discouraging me from telehealth said I may not know who I’m working with or what I’m getting into. However, Iris did a good job of helping me really understand my clinic.

When I did my interview, I wasn’t interviewing with just one person at the clinic. I met the whole team. They told me what to expect. I went through a week-long orientation with the Iris team, and they helped me get situated with the clinic. They didn’t just drop me off and leave me. They’ve been with me for the last two and half years, making sure I’m doing okay. Making sure the clinic is happy.

All that collaboration made a difference and every person at Iris really cares. They are all about the patient and helping the clinic solve their problems, and also helping me – if I have a small camera issue or something, somebody cares. I heard telemedicine is like a one-person island; you’re by yourself and left to figure it out on your own. I haven’t felt that way at all.

Q. What do you love about working with Iris?

A: Working here has been a big blessing on my life. When you go into psychiatry, and especially doing locums before, I saw many different ways of providing care. And then I joined Iris and felt from the beginning I was so lucky. I’m so lucky to be working with the clinic I’m at. I was so lucky to have Ted as my Clinical Operations Manager. And then to have Martha now, and then the IT people, every day, it was like, “I’m so lucky.” This is such an amazing role that I have.

As my family needs changed, my scheduling availability changed, and I was relieved that the clinic and Iris could work with me and make a new schedule as my family grows. I thought that was really special. I’ve heard about places where they tell you, “This is the assignment. This is what we expect from you.” And working at Iris was the reverse. I came to them saying, “I love the clinic. I want to stay here, but I’m only going to be available these days of the week.” And then they worked with me to make that happen.

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

A: It is the future. I don’t think we have a choice about it. It’s where a lot of patients are. I see a large age group, especially the younger patients, who prefer it. It’s more convenient for them. I think as people give it a chance, they’ll realize many benefits. They can see a doctor where they may not have been able to before. There’s a lot of flexibility in terms of scheduling too. We’re just at the beginning of what telehealth can do, and Iris is really at the forefront of that.

There are so many things that are still yet to come. The fact that we have all this health data. The fact that we can use that in a way that’s meaningful to patients. There are so many places for telehealth to go. I’m excited that I’m a part of it. It’s been nice to see how it’s evolved through the pandemic and where it will go even after that.

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 Dr. Jaskirit Gill. If you’d like to learn more about working for Iris Telehealth, contact us today.

Telehealth Update on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rules

There are many barriers that can keep people from getting the mental health care they need. One of these key barriers is access. Thankfully, organizations like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) continue to drive new initiatives to mitigate this barrier and help more people get the care they need. In November 2022, CMS finalized new rules to expand access to behavioral health.

Key initiatives include flexibility in billing and supervision as well as permanently covering certain telehealth services. These new flexibilities improve access to substance use and mental health services for patients all across the country.

These new telehealth rules are an optimistic next step in expanding behavioral health care to those who need it most. That’s why we’ve condensed everything you and your providers need to know about the newly expanded rules.

Overview of new CMS rules

At a high level, these new changes by CMS include flexibility in supervision denoting that a supervising clinician does not need to be on-site for certain behavioral health services. In addition, Medicare will pay opioid treatment programs to start MAT (medication assisted treatment) with buprenorphine for care delivered via telehealth or by a mobile unit.

Let’s take a closer look at these two final rules:

1. Physician fee schedule final rule: This new rule helps ensure patients needing behavioral health care can access the care they need. By no longer requiring clinicians to be on-site for billable behavioral health services, it opens up greater opportunity for those enrolled in Medicare to see their providers.

This rule states that certain behavioral health clinicians can provide care without their supervisor on-site. CMS permits clinicians like licensed professional counselors (LPCs) and licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) to bill under the general supervision of a physician or non-physician practitioner rather than direct supervision for any mental health or substance use disorder (SUD) treatment.

Additionally, the final physician fee schedule rule also clarifies that any mental health or substance use disorder (SUD) treatment service is billed under general supervision.

2. Hospital outpatient prospective payment system final rule: The hospital outpatient prospective payment system final rule allows hospital outpatient departments to bill for certain in-home telebehavioral health services when patients cannot go in person for a visit but need to be seen. This expanded access is crucial for reaching those in rural communities who need care.

This final rule requires patients to have an in-person visit within 6 months before and every 12 months after the telehealth visit. However, if the patient and provider agree that the risk and burden of an in-person visit outweighs the benefits, they can forgo the in-person visit.

Additionally, the final rule allows audio-only visits when video technology isn’t available.

Core benefits of the new CMS rules

These new rules provide benefits for providers, patients, and organizations overall. Here are a few core benefits for each person in the healthcare ecosystem:

  • For patients: Access is everything in mental health care and these new rules from CMS help patients secure continuity of care. Additionally, as this access improves, there are more opportunities for patients to find the right care.
  • For providers: Making the public health emergency telehealth flexibilities permanent means there is no longer a worry about a disruption of workflow and care – should this line of service no longer be a billable option. The new rules create flexibility in delivery of care; via telehealth and a more flexible supervision model allowing clinicians to reach more patients.Additionally, the CMS rules provide new codes for psychologists and LCSWs for behavioral integration, allowing services to be delivered in a primary care setting which ultimately improves patient access to substance use and mental health services.If you’re a provider looking to learn more about navigating these new changes, check out this article by CMS.
  • For organizations: As the new rules permanently cover certain telehealth services, organizations who are delivering care via telehealth are able to maintain this model that has ensured continuity of care during the pandemic and improved the number of patients served.

How Iris Can Help

At Iris, we’re always here to clarify and help your organization understand new rules and regulations in the evolving telehealth landscape. If you have any questions about the new CMS rules, we can help guide you and your team through these new changes. To talk to one of our team members, contact us today.