Category: Blog

When health systems work to implement a new platform, not only do they need to ensure new platforms integrate into their current technologies, but they also must get team buy-in and ensure it makes their workflows and systems easier — not more complicated.

For their behavioral health services in particular, many health systems rely on telehealth to help them reach patients. However, not all platforms are created equal and there’s much to consider when choosing which partner or platform to integrate across your organization.

In this blog, we will walk through how hospitals are addressing behavioral health platform integration, important considerations, and the difference a technology-neutral partner can make to daily operations.

For many health systems, customized interfaces are expensive and labor-intensive

In 2017, the American Hospital Association released data on the importance of interoperability in healthcare and how connected, shared health information can help achieve the best possible outcomes.

When looking at barriers to exchange and interoperability in healthcare, they found:

• 63% of receiving providers lack compatible technology
• 57% report exchange challenges across different vendor platforms
• 37% found it difficult to match or identify the correct patient between systems
• 35% reported exchange with outside systems to be costly
• 28% said that customized interfaces are expensive and labor intensive

Excellent platform integration means prioritizing patient and provider usability

Hospitals want the patient and provider experience to be seamless, and part of that is ensuring all platforms work together, don’t create extra steps, and maintain security protocols. That’s why it’s important to think through what interoperability looks like and the components related to patient and provider experience.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of these points:

• Patient experience: Integrating platforms that seamlessly work with an organization’s existing systems creates a better experience for patients. Instead of having to log in to multiple platforms for things like therapy and appointment setting, having everything in one place can help create a more seamless, accessible experience.
• Provider experience: On the provider side, onboarding behavioral health technology that requires staff training can create a barrier to entry and utilize more of the hospital’s already strained resources and time. For example, if a provider is using Epic for one part of their job and a separate system for note-taking, they will need to learn a new operating system and create new logins.

On-premise systems and cloud-based platforms come with inherent differences and considerations

Another important consideration when looking at implementing new behavioral health technology is the whether the systems require on-premises set-up or operate as a cloud-based platform.

Here are a few key differences and considerations:

• On-premises system: For on-premises, a company will need to bring in and set up their own servers and the hospital will need to determine if the servers will need to be set-up on their local network. Additionally, there will need to be upkeep and management of on-site equipment.
• Cloud-based platform: For cloud-based platforms, there are other considerations when it comes to security. For example, will the new system be able to access patient records and their billing system? Additionally, what is the usability like?

With all these considerations in mind, it’s clear there’s a lot hospitals must account for when assessing what platform will best support their telehealth for behavioral health needs.

Technology-neutral partnership means no additional set-up or maintenance

Working with a technology-neutral partner means health systems don’t need to worry about on-site installation or integrating a brand new cloud based solution. Instead, the partner seamlessly integrates into a hospital’s existing technology. Technology-neutral partners can connect health systems with providers, integrate into existing workflows and systems, without additional set-up and maintenance.

Being technology-neutral also means that the telehealth partner is well-versed in a variety of equipment and Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and can more easily troubleshoot challenges.

“We are committed to being technology neutral because we believe that’s how we are able to deliver the best care to our partners’ patients. We have worked with all different types of technology – from the most complex, intuitive, lifelike, robotic cameras to clunky, old monitors. And we can tell you with certainty: no matter what tech you decide to use, it will work.”

Ted Bryant, Regional Director of Clinical Operations, Iris Telehealth

A technology-neutral telehealth partner removes the requirement to integrate a new EMR system, provide additional technical support, and manage more equipment.

These benefits equate to an easier transition to a long-term telehealth program, cost savings, and increased patient and provider satisfaction.

A supportive partnership that’s technology-neutral removes the pain points of implementation

Implementing a platform requires ongoing technical support and maintenance – which can become a pain point for health systems.

That makes partnership with a supportive telehealth organization an essential piece of the puzzle.
At Iris Telehealth, the support we provide is on-going, helping our own behavioral health providers navigate partner systems, and being there 24/7 for IT support. That way, our providers aren’t utilizing a hospital’s IT team, and the clinicians can have someone to turn to regardless of the time of day.

“When we provide support, we all try to have that same positive attitude, knowing that what we’re doing is bigger than ourselves – it’s the whole realm of psychiatry and patient care. That’s why we always try to provide the best service and never try to complain about anything. Anytime someone comes and gives us any specific problems or tickets, we’re happy to help.”

Adam Monsen, Director of IT Services at Iris Telehealth

We also provide support through our Clinical Operations Managers (COMs), who are dedicated and work directly with providers. The COMs serve as the first line of support – whether they’re answering charting or EMR questions – our internal team is a lifeline for our clinicians.

“Our COMs ensure providers have a lifeline and someone who can answer their questions, so they’re not overtaxing the hospital’s IT or support teams with questions. Every question our COMs receive is one that the hospital doesn’t have to address via their IT or support teams. Any staff you add creates more work for the hospital, with Iris, we provide capacity without increasing demand.”

Sean Tominey, Vice President of Enterprise Sales

Next steps with a technology-neutral partner

If you’d like to learn more about Iris and how your organization can get started with a technology-neutral partner, contact us today to learn more.

In June 2024, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy called for warning labels on social media platforms, highlighting their potential mental health effects on children and adolescents.

In his essay written for The New York Times, Dr. Murthy wrote, “Children who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms.” He also noted that, in the summer of 2023, the average daily use was 4.8 hours.

Dr. Murthy shared research from Boston Children’s Digital Wellness Lab revealing nearly half of all adolescents find social media makes them feel worse about their bodies.

As Medical Director of Outpatient Services at Iris Telehealth and a child psychiatrist, I’m passionate about helping children and families get the behavioral health support they need and find a healthy balance when it comes to their social media use.

In this piece, I’ll share the pros and cons of social media for teens, my treatment insights, and how telehealth can help support this population.

50% of adolescents check their phones at least every 15 minutes

The 2022 Pulse Survey by Boston Children’s Digital Wellness Lab highlights that 79.4% of adolescents report social media makes them feel socially connected and emotionally supported (69%) by their peers.

While social media provides a space for connection and creativity, it also poses risks for the mental health of children and adolescents.

This same survey found that:   

• Nearly 50% of adolescents surveyed check their phones at least every 15 minutes
• 57.1% of adolescents feel fatigued and 47% report headaches following their daily social media use
• 52% of young adults said screen time interfered with family time a little or a lot

Adolescents may encounter content they’re not ready for online, experience bullying, or struggle with transitioning from the continuous stimuli of social media to tasks like homework. Additionally, social media can keep them from activities they could be exploring – whether that be sports or an outside interest.

If you’re working with an adolescent who is finding difficulty striking the right balance or relationship with social media, there are strategies you can leverage to help support a healthly and sustainable relationship with these platforms.

Online interactions should be treated with the same value as in-person conversations

It’s important to educate both parents and children on social media. Often, parents have many questions because it is a new territory for everyone.

If you’re a provider or organization working with families, here are a few strategies and considerations we recommend sharing with families:

• Discuss social media etiquette: Ask parents to discuss social media etiquette and explain that online interactions should be treated with the same value as in-person conversations.
• Set proactive boundaries: Recommend they learn what platforms their child is using and how often they’re using them. Setting time limits and monitoring usage can help set boundaries. For example, it might be beneficial to unplug over night or during dinner time.
• Keep the conversation going: Encourage them to keep an open dialogue with their child about social media activities. They might ask them what role social media is playing in their lives. They can also ask what their kids are doing offline to ensure a healthy balance.

For parents, there’s a lot to be aware of and education is essential. There are a lot of things online that kids need to be protected from and it’s important to encourage parents to stay-in-the-know about their children’s social media use.

Screening for social media exposures can provide helpful insights into the patient’s wellbeing

When screening children and adolescents, I always include questions about social media exposure. For example, do they have their phone in their room at night? Social media can disrupt sleep and some children may get notifications while trying to rest.

 

 

 

According to The Pulse Survey, 63.3% said that screen media use interfered with sleep either a little or a lot.

 

When I screen for trauma, I also include questions about exposures while on social media. These exposures may include being bullied or using bullying behavior, or exposures to violent or mature content that a child is not developmentally equipped to process.

Additionally, I screen for amount of time on social media and the role it plays in social development. I have worked with children and teens who have had great behavioral difficulty with parental attempts to limit excessive social media use.

I have encountered cases where the threat of losing social media access and accompanying social outlets has led to suicidal ideation and inpatient admissions.

Social media is impactful to a child or young adult, and they may feel losing it as a great loss. I frequently revisit the topic of social media with parents as what’s available online to our children evolves daily. I encourage parents to be proactive and set limits on social media behaviors early.

Telehealth offers support and helps establish rapport in a safe environment

At Iris Telehealth, our providers focus on building rapport with patients and meeting in a virtual environment is familiar and can be beneficial to young patients.

“I usually try to see the patient alone, but if the parent is around, they might say, ‘Okay, I’m going to write this in the chat because I don’t want anybody to hear it.’ And they’ll write something like, ‘I have a girlfriend.’

It’s more private and chat doesn’t make it personal. I’m still getting all the information in whatever way they like to give it to me. Being virtual gives you a lot more options than being in person.”

Dr. Maria Lopez-Rosario, Iris Telehealth Provider

Telehealth can model a positive example of online interactions and highlight the importance of being consistent with how we behave on and off social media.

It can also create a safe space for patients.

As lives grow busier, telehealth can more easily fit into a young person’s schedule and make getting care more convenient.

Where Iris Telehealth fits in

Social media’s impact on mental health is an important topic for families and organizations all over the country. Whether families are seeking resources for pediatric behavioral health or information on social media and teens, finding the right resources for comprehensive support can make all the difference.

If you’d like to learn more about the work we do with this population, please contact us today!    

To stay in the loop with all things happening in the behavioral health industry, be sure to sign-up for our newsletter Iris Messenger here.

Social workers are an invaluable part of any organization, delivering high-quality, value-based care to patients and providing indispensable support to the care team. When it comes to a holistic, long-term approach to care, having access to quality therapy or counseling services is essential.  

Therapy services are also required for any healthcare organization seeking to become a CCBHC.   

If your healthcare organization is considering incorporating counseling services into your behavioral health program — or expanding your existing programs — licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) can be a good place to start. 

This piece will break down the benefits an LCSW can bring to your organization, the different treatments and modalities they can provide, and why teletherapy might be the best way forward for your team. 

LCSWs specialize in micro and macro social work

LCSWs are highly trained providers who can provide a wide variety of services, depending on their specialization. The two biggest categories for these specializations are micro and macro social work.  

In general, macro social is looking at the larger population and making a difference there, whereas micro social work is working with individuals or family units. In most cases, your organization will likely be looking at LCSWs who specialize work with individuals or families. 

Because LCSWs deliver counseling and therapy services rather than psychiatric or medical services, they cannot prescribe medications. However, they can diagnose patients and should be familiar with the DSM-5. 

Common treatment modalities that LCSWs specialize in include: 

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Commonly referred to as “talk therapy,” CBT hones in on how thoughts and feelings influence behaviors — and how those behaviors can lead to psychological problems. LCSWs can utilize CBT methods to help patients identify and work through these thoughts and behaviors. 

2. Crisis intervention model: The crisis intervention model is commonly used for individuals experiencing crisis and trauma and consists of seven stages: Conducting a psychosocial assessment, rapidly establishing a rapport, identifying the crisis cause, enabling the patient to express their emotions, establishing safe alternatives for coping, creating an action plan, and following up with the patient. 

3. Solution-focused therapy: This treatment modality involves an LCSW working closely with a patient to identify a problem and create a solution plan based on that patient’s individual strengths. This short-term practice model helps individuals cope effectively with the challenges they’re facing. 

4. Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT): DBT is a modified approach to CBT. The primary goals of DBT are to enable people to develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their social relationships. While DBT was initially created to treat patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), it has proved effective for those experiencing eating disorders or substance use disorders. 

Additional treatment modalities that LCSWs can utilize to benefit your healthcare organization’s behavioral health program include motivational interviewing, mind body bridging, brainspotting, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and acceptance and commitment therapy. 

LCSWs are a cost-effective solution for less acute diagnoses 

An LCSWs ability to effectively diagnose patients makes them an excellent first line of treatment or screening for health systems, outpatient clinics, and community health centers.  

Having LCSWs available for initial patient interactions is often more efficient for most healthcare organizations. Additionally, it’s more cost-effective to have an LCSW on hand to manage less acute diagnoses that don’t need medication management. Then, for more acute diagnoses, an LCSW would be able to refer the patient to a psychiatrist or PMHNP on your care team. 

In most outpatient settings, LCSWs can function as part of a larger integrated care system where they need to provide access to counseling services and psychotherapy along with medication management and psychiatric care.  

Having LCSWs be the first line of defense in your treatment plan can be beneficial to pointing patients in the right direction and identifying the best path forward for their care plan. 

From a behavioral health standpoint, it’s hard to overstate the value an LCSW or counseling provider will bring to your organization. But it’s important to find the right provider for your organization, your patient populations, and your goals. Opening yourself up to teletherapy providers can help you through that process. 

LCSWs serve as a communication link between patients and their support systems 

In the emergency department (ED) setting, LCSWs are critical to patient satisfaction and a hospital or health system’s reputation in the community. Whether they’re helping someone access food vouchers, connecting a patient to ancillary services, or talking with a patient’s family members, LCSWs are thinking about the patient’s holistic needs.  

LCSWs often serve as a communication link between nurses, physicians, and other support staff. They often help prepare patients for transitions, imaging, labs, and admission.  

LCSWs can also help with patient and family communication through their hands-on approach to care – including helping families understand a patient’s illness and engaging with the family to help them feel supported after they leave the ED.

“Telehealth has expanded my ability to provide care to people I usually wouldn’t have been able to reach as an in-person provider. I’m a huge advocate for telehealth because I feel like the relationships can be just as deep and meaningful. In a therapeutic setting, the relationship is huge. It’s a huge part of the change cycle and folks’ ability to grow and build health in their life.”

Elaina Najera, LCSW, Iris Telehealth Provider

In the ED, LCSWs take ownership of the psychosocial dimensions of a person, and in psychiatry, that’s critical.  

These psychosocial dimensions include relationships, living situations, access to housing, finances, and food. These components are essential to the wellness and decision-making that goes into treatment formulation for the patient in the ED. 

LCSWs can help expand pre-existing counseling services  

As part of an effective integrated care model, a combination of medication management and psychotherapy is necessary. That means your organization will likely need to build up a program that includes therapists or counselors on staff — or potentially expand the counseling services you already have. 

There are studies showing that utilizing CBT or other therapy modalities can effectively treat less acute diagnoses without medication. And, if you have a good LCSW, you can utilize their services in addition to medication to assist the overall success of your treatment plans for a given patient. 

Why teletherapy services may be the best fit for your healthcare organization 

There’s no denying that, for an LCSW, the rapport they can create with a patient is key to a patient’s success. But it’s a common misconception that it’s more difficult to build that connection over video.  

A well-trained LCSW can build just as strong a therapeutic relationship virtually as in person. Almost every in-person modality an LCSW can specialize in can be translated effectively in a virtual setting – including brainspotting and EMDR. 

That means if your organization is cutting yourself off from engaging in teletherapy, you’re limiting the quality of your program — and your ability to expand it. 

“I try to find different ways to connect with my patients. For many kids, it’s just being there, listening. But, for the younger ones or those who don’t want to be in therapy, I try to find games for us to play, or I ask them what they like to do and what they like about it.”

Nicole Bradbury, LCSW, Iris Telehealth Provider 

Additionally, embracing teletherapy in your organization means patients can take the session wherever they’re most comfortable. With that freedom, some patients can be more willing to open up.  

The flexibility to choose their locations can also decrease no-show rates or open up access for people experiencing conditions that may make it difficult for them to feel motivated to leave their homes.

However, you may still have patients who prefer seeing their provider in person. So, when possible, we would recommend offering both in-person therapy or counseling services and teletherapy services. 

How your organization can set your LCSWs (and your treatment team as a whole) up for success

When bringing LCSWs in or expanding your teletherapy services, it’s important to ensure those providers feel valued. There can be a tendency to undervalue LCSW when compared to psychiatrists. It’s important to make sure they feel like they’re part of the team. 

Then, for your own organization, you should work to identify the particular specializations or modalities you need when staffing LCSWs. And remember, if you are open to teletherapy services, partnering with a vendor like Iris Telehealth can help you identify carefully vetted, high-quality providers for your organization.  

If you’re interested in learning more about Iris Telehealth’s LCSWs, contact us today, and we’ll get the conversation started!