Clinician Corner: How Betty Bell, LCSW, Finds Connection as a Telehealth Provider  

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 Betty Bell, one of our incredible LCSWs.     

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

A. It was about three years ago when I moved to Minnesota. I was flipping through the internet, saw a job opportunity, and applied for it. I didn’t think I’d like telehealth because I liked the in-person connection. However, I did a lot of research and saw that telehealth is just as effective as in-person care, especially with some of the modalities I use in therapy. I decided to try it, and I really like it. 

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

A. I specialize in trauma. I work with a lot of individuals that have trauma, and EMDR has been very effective. I researched before I took the job because I wanted to make sure I could serve the clients I work with, and the research said it was effective.  

I use bilateral music stimulations instead of tapping or other devices that can be used in this treatment. Those have been effective. Patients have been able to use those outside of sessions as well. It’s light music with bilateral stimulations in it, which helps them process. 

Telehealth is an asset, especially when patients live in a city where they struggle with transportation or stay home with their kids. They don’t have to load up the children and then drop them off at daycare or go to therapy. They’re able to get services right within their home. 

A lot of times when I work with people, that’s their safe place. That’s where they feel comfortable.  

I think telehealth creates fewer barriers for them to get therapy versus in-person – in-person takes gas to get there and pre-scheduling – telehealth saves a lot of time out of the patient’s day. 

Q. How do you foster connection with patients virtually? 

A. I firmly believe that building rapport right out of the gate is key in therapy. As we’re talking and communicating, if there’s anything that the patient’s not feeling comfortable with or they don’t think we have a connection, I ask them to let me know right away so we can connect them to someone they connect with.   

Because a lot of times in therapy, if you don’t have that rapport and connection, it’s not going to be as effective. We usually talk about that right away. I haven’t had anyone that didn’t like that approach. I meet them where they’re at, start with a basic conversation, and then build a connection that way. And then things lead into more details of the things they’re experiencing. 

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

A. I’m in my later forties, and I remember being a social worker in my twenties, where stress was more impactful. What I’m finding as I am older is that therapy is my passion. It doesn’t feel like work. It’s my calling – it’s what I’ve chosen to do. 

A lot of the times, with the people we serve, if they cross my mind outside the session, I’ll send them positive vibes, healing, or great thoughts. But I don’t take a lot of work home. I also exercise, get massages, and do a lot of self-care outside of the session, which also helps. It makes a difference when this work is what you’re called to do. 

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

A. I had a client who crossed my mind, and I couldn’t remember her name. Sometimes, it gets tricky, and suddenly, her name crosses my mind. Two weeks later, she messaged me. I didn’t have her contact information, but she remembered my number. That was pretty cool. 

I got to ask, “Hey, how are you?” “Are you still in this location?” “How are the kids?” We briefly touched base, and she’s doing well.  

She’s stayed in the community for three years. She is working, and her sons seem to be thriving. Before, they were struggling with homelessness. She struggled with addiction issues, and her mental health was pretty poor.  

The power of connection is really what therapy is all about. So, having a patient cross your mind and then suddenly they find you and reach out. That was amazing to me. 

Q. What do you love about working with Iris?  

A. Iris has created a platform where you’re connected to an agency where there’s a connection. That’s powerful. I adore the agency that I’m placed with. It’s in a different state, and they have a different community, and I really embrace that and enjoy that.  

I’ve worked with Iris for about two and a half years and have all the support I need. My supervisor’s a phone call, text, or message away. We meet on a regular basis. I get all the training I need.  

I can’t say enough about my connection with the agency where they placed me. I adore my supervisor there. They’re so supportive and appreciative. She often just says, “I appreciate you,” and I’ll tell you, that goes miles.  

I wouldn’t really work for Iris or even the agency I was placed with if I didn’t have those connections and that support and that extra training. I’ve been really pleased with even the environment. It’s been very positive, not negative. It’s really a great place to work. I’ve been very pleased. 

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

A. COVID-19 brought a lot of good things, even though it was a difficult time as well. Telehealth became even more important during that time when people were isolated.  

They couldn’t connect to services they probably needed. I think it opened a window for therapists.  

I think telehealth is here to stay. The way you can network between states – you can be in one state and be licensed to provide care in another state – the connections you can make are so powerful.  

When I talk to some of my clients, the chances of us meeting are like zero, but we get to be a part of each other’s journey and experience. Telehealth has opened a vast area for not only our clients, but for our professionals. It’s pretty exciting to watch. 

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

A. Embrace it and roll with the process. At first, I remember I was kind of nervous. Like, “Am I going to be able to keep up with the computer or network? It just seems like everything fell into place and I always had IT support.  

They’re always a phone call away, and even sometimes the clients will get maybe anxious, like, “I can’t hear you very well,” so we’ll adjust or maneuver things. But again, it’s just part of the process.  

So just embracing it and working with whatever obstacles may come. I think that you’re going to be able to see the fruition as you continue to just be relaxed and follow the process. I’m sold on it.  

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

How Integrating Scheduled Services Benefits Inpatient Care

Depressive disorder is the most common cause of hospitalization among patients under age 18. However, the shortage of behavioral health providers in this setting makes meeting patients with timely care challenging.

A study from the Mayo Clinic found that, of 2,300 U.S. hospitals surveyed, 54% had no psychiatrist on staff or available for medical ED or inpatient consultations. When admissions for active psychiatric patients were needed, 59% of hospitals transferred them to another hospital – creating leakage within the health system.

For patients who stay within the hospital system and need care over 30 days, Beckers Healthcare highlights that it can create additional healthcare costs of $2,265 per stay. 

However, effective and efficient behavioral health integration can help decrease costs and improve patient experience. In their annual Environmental Scan, the American Hospital Association (AHA), shares that an inpatient integrated behavioral health model resulted in a 159% return on investment, and a study of six primary care practices found integration reduced ED visits by 14.2%. 

Integrating virtual care partnerships to support inpatient psychiatric units offers a simple solution to a complicated problem and helps keep patients from falling through care gaps. By bringing in a virtual behavioral health provider, patients can get the care they need, health systems can avoid leakage, and provider time can be used more effectively.

Integrating virtual care into the inpatient psychiatric unit

Making virtual care available in your inpatient psychiatric unit, your health system can alleviate staffing challenges, transform the patient and provider experience, and assist their on-site providers with behavioral health clinicians.

Teams are connected with a dedicated provider who serves the hospital on a consistent basis each week.

Virtual behavioral health care allows organizations to recruit from a larger pool of providers than they might not otherwise have access to in their geographic region. This capability allows patients to get the quality care they need for complex behavioral health conditions.

We call our virtual solution for this Scheduled Services, which ensures access to high-quality behavioral health providers who are dedicated to our partner healthcare organizations on a consistent schedule and are matched to the needs of their communities and care teams. This approach creates continuity of care for patients with complex behavioral health conditions. Additionally, virtual behavioral health providers have flexibility and can provide the same consistency that an on-site provider can and doesn’t position patients to have to repeatedly tell their stories.

Virtual behavioral health providers can round virtually and work weekends and nights – whenever care is needed. This flexibility also enables care team integration and allows providers to attend team meetings and be available to other clinicians just as they would if they were in-person. Virtual providers can collaborate, join team huddles, and consult with their team.

The benefits of a virtual provider solution  

Virtual behavioral health solutions help patients get seen more quickly, reduce expenses, and help promote quality care for patients who might otherwise be left waiting for treatment or end up back in the emergency department.

When determining who to partner with for a virtual behavioral health solution, it’s important to consider what other supports come along with the addition of a provider.

At Iris Telehealth, we pride ourselves on the support we provide to our partners to make sure they’re matched with a provider who has the right skillset and knowledge to treat the level of acuity they see within their inpatient units. We also provide clinical alignment executives who support and serve as a primary point of contact for our partners.

These pillars of support also extend to help with licensing and credentialing as well as quality management services to ensure our providers are helping organizations meet their key behavioral health goals.

Treating behavioral health patients in the inpatient unit is no easy task, but we do our best to support each organization so they can experience the benefits of a virtual behavioral health solution.

How virtual behavioral health enables continuity of care

When a patient can’t get the care they need, when they need it, they may end up leaving the health system and going somewhere else for care. This potential for leakage is costly and creates a poor experience for patients.

When a health system has a behavioral health specialist readily available, the patient’s chance of being seen quickly increases. They receive proper evaluation and lessen their risk of their symptoms becoming exacerbated.

Additionally, in-person care may not meet demand in the same way a virtual solution can. There are several barriers an in-person provider may encounter versus someone working virtually. For example, while weather or traffic could keep a provider from making it into the unit, a virtual provider has consistent flexibility that supports a consistent schedule.

Patients may need to be seen again and having a provider they know, trust, and can count on, can make all the difference in their care. Helping provide care to patients that’s high-quality and specialized can help them experience better outcomes and build trust with your organization.

How to get started with Scheduled Services

At Iris, we’re proud of the level of care we provide to patients. That’s why we have a 97% average patient satisfaction rate and a 92% partner retention rate. Additionally, our commitment to quality has helped us gain Joint Commission accreditation. We’ve treated 2.3M+ patients and counting and we’re eager to see how we can help those in your community get the behavioral health care they need and deserve.

If you’d like to learn more about how Scheduled Services can be integrated into your health system, don’t hesitate to reach out today. Contact us here for more information.

The Keys to Primary Care and Behavioral Health Integration

Today, many traditional care models remain siloed and fall short of whole-person-centered care that addresses both behavioral and physical health conditions – and how they impact each other. Emerging healthcare models, including virtual care and the expansion of digital health tools, seek to integrate value, quality, and access while keeping the patient journey and experience top-of-mind.

In this piece, I’ll share insights on why Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) is central to patient and provider satisfaction, the potential challenges and benefits of this approach, and what BHI looks like in practice.

The role of behavioral health in primary care

Behavioral health factors have a strong influence on patient morbidity and mortality.

In fact, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, as many as 75% of primary care visits include mental or behavioral health components. And, 67% of adults with a behavioral health condition do not receive appropriate treatment.

In the face of nationwide psychiatrist shortages, primary care providers (PCPs) are often positioned as the first-line of behavioral health care for their patients. However, while PCPs often want to know more about behavioral health and how to care for their patients, they don’t always have the time or specialization to treat more complex cases.

That’s because treating a behavioral health condition doesn’t always have a clear or obvious path for medication and treatment. However, by leveraging a virtual behavioral health solution, PCPs can ensure their patients are getting the help they need and healthcare organizations can ensure financially sustainable delivery of behavioral health services.

The financial benefits of Behavioral Health Integration

According to a Briefing Series on the Role of Psychology in Health Care by the American Psychological Association, the interconnection of behavioral health and physical health can have a profound impact on total cost of care:

  • Behavioral health conditions like anxiety and depression can worsen chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, and cancer.
  • Research shows treatment of behavioral health conditions in primary care settings offset costs by 20-40%. 
  • Research also shows fewer hospitalizations that result in significant cost reductions for patients with comorbidities and improvement in treatment adherence, translating to $105 billion in annual avoidable health care costs.

To add to these numbers, in a behavioral health analysis by Evernorth Health Services, treating behavioral health conditions in outpatient care is directly tied with a reduction in medical and pharmacy costs — with savings up to $2,565 per person over 15 months following a diagnosis and up to $3,321 per person over 27 months following a diagnosis.

These numbers show us that primary care providers shouldn’t face the burden of providing behavioral health services alone. And they don’t have to. With the help of a behavioral health specialist, their organizations can generate savings and their patients can experience superior outcomes.

Challenges and solutions organizations may face when implementing collaborative care

While behavioral health integration delivers clear benefits for your patients, care team, and PCPs, achieving it isn’t without its challenges. Some of the most common challenges we’ve heard from healthcare organizations include:

  1. Long wait times for behavioral health providers: Providing timely access to care for mid-to-high acuity behavioral health conditions can be challenging. For example, if a patient needs medication management from a psychiatrist, wait times can often be too long. However, if a provider is integrated into a practice, seeing a SUD therapist, for example, may be quicker.
  2. Greater level of assessment required: While PCPs take on the majority of behavioral health patients, sometimes the level of assessment is greater than what they can provide. While there’s no easy button, integrated care, even at a small level, can get the ball rolling.
  3. Relying entirely on in-person care: In-person care is still the gold standard of care. However, by trying to rely on in-person care models alone, it can be challenging to get the right resources, at the right time, in a financially scalable way. Many organizations face insurmountable challenges recruiting onsite providers for some of their rural and urban settings. Virtual care transcends city, county, and state barriers, so patients have access to care regardless of location.
  4. Triage and care navigation challenges: These approaches can be a challenge and lead to too much responsibility for the primary care provider. Primary care providers need help from the right behavioral health specialists for their most complex patients, and they need it in a timely manner. Partnering with virtual care providers in the navigation process can take additional burdens off patients and PCPs.

How Our Virtual Clinic Solution Enables Behavioral Health Integration

For health systems looking to implement integrated behavioral health services, Virtual Clinic ensures the patients who need care first get care first – while being efficiently directed to an appropriate care plan.

Virtual Clinic leverages virtual care and an evidence-based care model to ensure patients that need escalation from primary care receive timely access to high-quality behavioral care, including therapy, medication management, or both.

This approach fills gaps in ambulatory and post-acute behavioral health care for patients, helping health systems achieve measurement-based outcomes and optimizing reimbursement for a financially sustainable behavioral health program. 

With Virtual Clinic, the pathway begins with a billable biopsychosocial needs assessment delivered by a licensed therapy provider within seven days of a patient’s discharge. The provider then determines the appropriate behavioral health specialist to manage the patient’s care needs with counseling, medication management, or both.

The care navigation and therapeutic support from this approach alleviate the burden on the health system’s resources using a cost-effective process that closes referrals to specialists sooner and returns patients to community providers when available.

Behavioral Health Integration at Iris Telehealth

The demand for virtual behavioral health services will continue to grow, fueled by patient needs, psychiatrist s and the emphasis on integrated care.

Providers who embrace these services will not only improve the timeliness of the behavioral health care they deliver, the health of their patients, and their own work satisfaction, but will also ensure their viability in a new world of consumer-centric healthcare.

If you’d like to learn more about Iris Telehealth and how can help your health care organization implement Behavioral Health Integration into your practice, feel free to reach out today.

How PMHNPs Can Give Your Organization a Strategic Benefit 

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) make for exceptional members and leaders of care teams. Generally speaking, PMHNPs not only have very diverse educational backgrounds, but they undergo a variety of trainings and are experts in delivering effective behavioral health care.  

I’ve seen the impact PMHNPs can make for healthcare organizations first-hand across my 20-year career as a PMHNP and from my experience serving as Iris Telehealth’s Lead Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Over those years, here are the best practices I’ve seen for how organizations can effectively leverage PMHNPs and some of the specific benefits their communities experience when they lean into PMHNPs.  

How organizations can leverage PMHNPs for their behavioral health programs 

At Iris, we work with organizations all across the country to support the various needs of their patients.  

Here are some of the primary ways our partners leverage PMHNPs for behavioral health services:  

  • Telepsychiatry: Organizations in rural communities or those experiencing the effects of the provider shortage have found great success in leveraging PMHNPs via telepsychiatry. While PMHNPs tend to live on the East Coast, telepsychiatry makes their services widely available.  
  • Crisis intervention: PMHNPs are excellent at deescalating volatile situations. Once a situation is handled and the patient is triaged to an inpatient psychiatric unit, we provide follow-up care and execute quality improvement initiatives. We are excellent at keeping up with data and showing where our helps and enhances the overall effectiveness of our outcomes.  
  • Patient advocacy: Another area where PMHNPs excel is communication. Many of our patients feel PMHNPs can speak at their level. We’re nurses first and understand the importance of bedside manner. We carry that into our treatment, and patients feel they can communicate effectively with us.  
  • Medication management: A lot of organizations utilize PMHNPs for medication management because they have therapists who conduct therapy. While we always end up doing a bit of therapy, the largest part of our job is talking to patients, seeing what their symptoms are, and determining if medication is appropriate for them. We then write a prescription and follow-up every one to three months according to how well they’re doing and adjust as needed.  

The role PMHNPs play in reducing mental health stigma  

In independent practice states, our skills can be leveraged for leadership roles or providing community outreach, whether that’s teaching people about mental health stigma or helping them learn about their conditions before they escalate into something more severe.   

For example, if a patient is worried about what people think about them getting treatment for their behavioral health condition, it might keep them from getting help. However, if an organization is leveraging a PMHNP for treatment, the PMHNP can explain how treating a behavioral health condition is just the same as treating diabetes or hypertension.  

Everyone wants someone to talk to and there’s nothing wrong with that. When you remove the stigma, people get in earlier, and they’re less likely to escalate to a higher severity and can stay more stabilized throughout their life span.  

The advantages of hiring a PMHNP 

Part of our job is reaching out and communicating with primary care doctors because we often share patients. It’s important for us to let them know the patients we treat, so if they have anyone who needs behavioral health support, they can send them our way. This communication enables the best care for the patient.  

That said, we are very integrated into the organization we serve, building relationships in the community and with the on-site team. This approach helps create the best experience possible for the patient and builds continuity of care.  

On the other hand, if an organization is working with a Locums, someone who is in and out, behavioral health patients don’t tend to respond well. People don’t like to tell their stories over and over and they don’t feel comfortable knowing that someone is only going to be there for a short time.  

However, they respond very well know that their PMHNP is “their person” and they can trust them because they’re a part of the team. By being integrated into the clinic, we become one of the employees there and we’re not going anywhere.  

Why bedside manner and communication is a PMHNP’s superpower  

People may not realize all the different aspects of what a PMHNP can provide. Nurse practitioners can do research, outreach, crisis intervention, and medication management. They can also work in both inpatient and outpatient settings and do step down roles. There are an endless number of jobs a nurse practitioner can do.  

I would say our superpower, though, is our bedside manner. We meet people where they are. Whenever you meet a patient, you have to figure out how they communicate. Some people walk in and they’re joking – they want someone to be lighthearted, so they’re comfortable. But they also want you to be serious and provide medication management. However, if you’re really serious and to the point, they’re not going to trust you.  

It’s important to learn about your patients and figure out what’s important to them. If someone mentions their family, it’s important to follow up with them the next time you see them. Ask how they’re doing. These are all important aspects of building a good relationship.  

Building your team of PMHNPs at Iris  

Over my 20 years as a PMHNP, I can say that at Iris, we have a wonderful set of nurse practitioners. We strive to have the highest quality providers around and we do a great job of finding the best of the best.  

If you’d like to learn more about PMHNPs and the benefits they can bring to your organization, feel free to contact us today and see how we can find the best provider fit for your community.   

You can also learn more about how PMHNPs can benefit your organization here.  

Clinician Corner: Iris’s Dr. Cardenas Shares How Telehealth Creates Flexibility for Work and Travel

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. Alonso Cárdenas.   

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

A. I found Iris through LinkedIn. I needed to stay in San Diego, and I love that Iris gives me the flexibility to work from home. I work for an underserved population in a rural area in Modesto, California, at a Federally Qualified Health Center.

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

A. Telepsychiatry is great. It makes a difference in rural areas with low access. I love being able to travel and spend time with my family while still being able to work and not having to commute.

Being able to have meals at home is great for work-life balance. If a new patient doesn’t show up, I can do maintenance of certification, articles, exams, play with my dog, or do laundry or dishes, which creates more room for quality of life on weekends. I have more time to go to the dog beach or hike.

Telepsychiatry has already grown since I was in training. Then there was the pandemic, and many more people are now used to FaceTime and doing meetings on Zoom.

Q. How do you foster connection with patients virtually?

A. I try to foster a connection as I did in person by being fully present and empathic, providing psychoeducation and resources, and genuinely being interested and invested in helping people.

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

A. Working for Iris as a child and adolescent psychiatrist helps with work-life balance. When possible, I do virtual care for my own health, too.

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

A. The most rewarding part of my job is being able to make a difference in the lives of patients, especially those who are underserved with complex social political issues.

Q. What do you love about working with Iris?

A. I love the culture at Iris. It’s very different than anything I’ve experienced since medical school. They’re so efficient and above and beyond helpful.

I once had a wireless keyword that malfunctioned, and they sent me a new one right away. I had a travel monitor that I had purchased myself malfunction and Beth Chase, my Clinical Operations Manager, checked in with me and asked if I needed anything, if my equipment was working properly, and then offered several travel monitor options that Iris could reimburse me for.

When there’s a workflow or scheduling issue with Golden Valley Health Centers, the FQHC I work for, she meets with them, troubleshoots problems, solves them, and then things improve quickly and promptly.

Q. How does the flexibility of telehealth help you do more of what you love?

A. Last year, for Christmas, I was able to go to my in-laws in Orlando and still be able to work. I would work and then hang out and spend time with family when I wasn’t working.

My wife is a law professor and gets to take a sabbatical; she’s studying and writing research on cultural heritage. We can travel and I can still work.

I’ve gone to conferences in Canada with her before, and in the future, I plan to go to Mexico and Colombia while I’m still working.

After work and on weekends, I still go sightseeing, and I love being able to do that.

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

A. Telepsychiatry is very important for mental healthcare. In addition to the access, it’s more comfortable. There’s much less of a chance that a patient will feel awkward running into a coworker at the psychiatrist’s office. It’s so convenient.

I’m going to date myself here, but as a kid, I used to go to Blockbuster video to rent movies – now we stream. I would sometimes have to catch and walk looking for a taxi. Now, for the most part, we use Uber or Lyft.

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

A. Advice that I would give someone who’s considering telehealth is work for Iris.

They’re super-efficient, helpful, and their IT team is amazing. They go above and beyond to the point of even offering to troubleshoot and problem solve, even when the issue is not their equipment or organization.

I think we want to have a growth mindset and continue to develop and evolve.

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

How Bridge Care Services Optimizes Behavioral Health Integration to Ensure Effective Patient Care  

Meeting behavioral health patients with timely support, appropriate care, and proper follow-up is essential to their care journeys. Unfortunately, finding the right care isn’t always easy. Between provider shortages, increased demand for behavioral health treatment, and social determinants of health, patients may spend a lot of time waiting for care without ever receiving the support they need.

Bridge Care Services ensures the patients who need care first get care first – while being efficiently directed to an appropriate care plan. Keep reading to learn more about how bridge care enables Behavioral Health Integration across health systems.

Table of contents
Bridge care 101
How Bridge Care Services works
The benefits of Bridge Care Services
Where Iris Telehealth fits in

Bridge care 101

A dedicated bridge care program can help support health systems via a behavioral health integration model backed by clinical and operational expertise to solve common challenges health systems face in delivering ambulatory care in a scalable and sustainable way. This model ensures patients with a behavioral health referral get timely, high-quality care and appropriate treatment and follow-up – all while improving a health system’s total cost of care.

Keys to success:

  1. Augmenting behavioral health access: Any system struggling with its referral volumes needs a mechanism to augment its clinical bandwidth to reduce its backlog – whether that means optimizing existing resources or leveraging a third-party partner like Iris Telehealth.
  2. Financial sustainability: Health systems have to maintain financial sustainability for any program to stand the test of time. A bridge care program should be designed accordingly and optimized for reimbursement.
  3. Care navigation: Clinical recommendations that direct the patient to the right type of care, from the right type of provider.
  4. Quality Management: To ensure the success of any program, your care team needs high visibility into what’s going right – and what’s going wrong – across your workflows and patient and clinical outcomes. Bridge care leverages clinical support and oversights throughout the care program lifecycle to manage data-driven outcomes and demonstrate clinical and operational impact.

How Bridge Care Services works

There are six components that make up Bridge Care Services and help more people get the care they need.

Here’s how those components work to support health systems:

  • Cross-functional care team: Our cross-functional care team of psychiatrists, therapists, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners will fully integrate into your health system.
  • Clinical prioritization: Referred patients are entered into a risk-stratified patient registry that undergoes a clinical review to ensure the patients who need help first, get seen first.
  • Navigation assessments: A Licensed Clinical Social Worker will complete a Navigation Assessment to determine the appropriate level of care.
  • High-quality care: Patients referred to Iris will receive the appropriate care plan for their needs. Whether that is medication management, therapy or both – and whether that is short-term care or longer-term care – we ensure each patient receives efficient, quality care.
  • Collaborative transition:Once a patient can be safely managed by their primary care provider, ambulatory service, or community clinic – an Iris Care Coordinator helps facilitate a supported transition to the next care setting in the patient’s journey.
  • Iris Insights:Your health system will have the backing of Iris clinical and operational excellence to ensure sustainable behavioral health care.

Click here for a more in-depth look at how Bridge Care Services works.

The benefits of Bridge Care Services

With the immense need for care, health systems are overwhelmed. Thankfully, Bridge Care Services can help organizations with the influx they’re experiencing, provide additional support, and continue providing the highest quality of care they’re accustomed to delivering to their patients.

When implemented properly in a health system, Bridge Care Services can help:

  • Improve total cost of care
  • Deliver optimized Behavioral Health Integration across the whole system
  • Support organizational quality measures
  • Increase patient satisfaction
  • Decrease provider burnout
  • Retain patients within the health system
  • Keep patients in the referral queue out of the ED
  • Support longitudinal care
  • Reduce 30-day readmission rates
  • Promote referring provider satisfaction

Bridge Care Services helps provide a transformative process for health systems, their teams, and the patients they serve.

Where Iris Telehealth fits in

At Iris Telehealth, we believe patients deserve access to high-quality behavioral health care. That’s why we walk with them throughout their care journeys to help ensure they get the most effective care possible. If you’d like to learn more about our Bridge Care Services program, contact us today.

How Virtual Care Can Enable a Better Approach to Inpatient Psychiatric Care  

For health systems seeking to provide high-quality inpatient psychiatric care, it’s essential to prioritize learning what patients need, how best to support them on their care journey, and how to connect with patients. While in-person care remains the gold standard, giving patients a virtual option can help reduce no-shows and ensure patients aren’t seeking behavioral health care in the ED.     

In a webinar hosted by Becker’s Hospital Review, healthcare leaders from Carilion Clinic and Basset Health Network came together to discuss how they’re leveraging partnerships with telehealth organizations to overcome hiring challenges and help their communities get the best care possible. 

They were also joined by two providers, Dr. Tisa Ayuso and Dr. Ghazanfar Khan, who shared their experience providing virtual behavioral health care in an inpatient setting. 

How Carilion Clinic overcame staffing challenges during COVID-19 and beyond 

Laura Taylor, the Program Director of Psychiatry at Carilion Clinic spoke to the organization’s challenges navigating call outs during the COVID-19 pandemic. At one point, the organization had to shut down the unit and then reopen. Taylor said, “It took a lot of time to navigate scheduling to make sure that we were staffed appropriately to meet the patient needs on the unit.”  

From the hiring perspective, it took months for physicians to complete their credentialing. However, after partnering with Iris, Carilion was able to attain a reliable provider.  

Reflecting on this time, Taylor said, “To have an established Iris Telehealth provider was incredibly important because it created reliability on the unit. We knew exactly what we were working with when we had the physician. She was very reliable, and it created continuity of care.”  

Basset Health Network’s approach to staffing providers in rural New York  

Basset Health Network is in upstate New York, where its patients are geographically dispersed across the region.  

Amid cross-departmental changes, Basset found itself with a shortage of clinicians on the inpatient side.  

While they were in the recruitment process, they couldn’t hire clinicians fast enough. They had leveraged locums to help run their inpatient unit, but they needed a long-term solution that would almost exclusively provide physician oversight on the inpatient unit. Dr. James Anderson, Chief of the Department of Psychiatry at Basset, said they wanted to expand their approach to virtual care. 

Anderson said, “We thought in the long term, it was going to create a situation where we could offer more flexibility when looking at full-time staff members. Even if they weren’t working full-time in a virtual capacity, they would have that tool as part of their tool belt. 

So, whether it was because of illness or convenience, it’s an important arrow in our quiver to be able to expand virtual health to include providing services on the inpatient end.” 

The provider experience facilitating virtual care  

While Dr. Tisa Ayuso has been with Basset for a short time, she says her role as Virtual Medical Director has been going well. 

“We have our systems in place in terms of our morning rounds. We have the computer system up and running. We recently just got a fish-eye lens camera, so I have better visibility of seeing everyone in the morning meetings, which has been fantastic.” 

Along with working with patients, Dr. Ayuso also works with Bassett’s medical students to demonstrate best practices for delivering effective inpatient psychiatric care. 

Before working with Iris, Dr. Ghazanfar Khan started to experience the stress of the provider shortage and knew he wanted to make a change for his mental health. Since beginning his virtual inpatient role, Dr. Kahn enjoys focusing more on patients than commuting. 

“I’ve been able to focus more on my patients. I have charts pulled out when I’m seeing patients so that I can see their labs and medications and the nursing and social work notes. It has been working great for me. The hospital staff made it more convenient for me to transition from in-person to virtual.” 

The benefits and challenges of virtual care  

Virtual behavioral health makes it easier for patients to attend appointments and helps improve satisfaction overall. At Carilion, Taylor says that having a blended model has enhanced patient care. 

Reflecting on her observations, she said, “I had an opportunity to round with our telehealth psychiatrist, and rarely would I hear patients request a different provider. This provider was very good at building rapport quickly; they exchanged a wealth of information back and forth. I think patients felt very comfortable with that provider in a telehealth setting.”   

Besides a few technical glitches and finding the right place to take the video calls, Taylor says telehealth has been “almost seamless.” 

At Basset, Anderson says they’ve heard almost zero patient complaints about virtual care. He said the challenges they faced were mainly on the front end. 

He said, “I wouldn’t say it was a challenge, so much as there were legitimate questions and concerns from staff on the unit about how we were going to operate on a daily basis. There were concerns about how we would get Dr. Ayuso in the room. It turns out that wasn’t as big of a deal as some anticipated.” 

Anderson also expanded on the benefits, noting, “I just got an email today from our clerkship director who is in charge of the medical student’s psychiatry rotation. He said the students are having a fantastic experience, and they love Dr. Ayuso. 

In some ways, there’s some suspicion that there’s even more contact with Dr. Ayuso than there might be if the psychiatrist was there on the unit. It’s been a surprise to some of the staff members on the unit about how non-disruptive it has been.” 

Advice on finding the right telehealth partner  

At Basset, Anderson said they considered several things when searching for a behavioral health partner. “First,” he said, was “the ability to become impaneled with our various insurers. We absolutely want people that are willing and able to accept Medicare and Medicaid.” 

Next, Anderson said Basset was looking for a partner who could serve as a collaborating physician for their nurse practitioners. After talking with multiple telehealth companies, Basset landed on Iris Telehealth because of their ability to meet their needs. 

Anderson said, “It was really strong communication and project management. To help us, we came in, and we sort of knew where we wanted to get to, but we didn’t know how to get there. Iris had this combination of knowledge and commitment to clear and confident communication. They had willingness to collaborate, but also had proven ideas that worked before – that was a big plus. 

They also had a clear commitment to quality services. When Iris is presenting a clinician to us, we know that clinician has already been well vetted by Iris. By the time we’re talking to the clinician, there’s a little bit of a halo effect because of the trust we’ve built. 

It’s not sign unseen. We build the partnership, and we see that things are working in other areas – it made it a pretty easy choice to go with Iris, and we’ve been happy so far.” 

The importance of collaboration and quality support  

For Carilion, Taylor said relationships and communication are incredibly important to finding the right behavioral health partner. 

“Working with well-informed individuals who know exactly what to do, have had that experience, and can offer solutions while listening to needs. That’s what I’ve enjoyed so much about my relationship with Shannon.” 

Shannon works as a Client Alignment Executive (CAE) at Carilion. Taylor says she’s enjoyed working with her CAE, who helps figure out what Carilion needs, how Iris can meet those needs, and the creativity of thinking outside the box. 

“The ease of transitioning a provider into the Carilion system is flawless,” said Taylor. “Every need is thought of. Every detail is considered when it comes to invoicing and general backend operations.  

Everything is very streamlined. It’s predictable, and there are no surprises. It’s been a wonderful experience. It’s meant to support Carilion and Carilion’s needs and not create barriers.” 

Figure out your next steps  

We’re so grateful for the time Laura Taylor, Dr. James Anderson, Dr. Ayuso, and Dr. Ghazanfar Khan generously shared with us. Thank you for your partnership and for all you do to help expand access to quality behavioral health care in your communities!  

Weren’t able to make it to the webinar? You can watch the full video here.  

If you’d like to learn more about integrating quality behavioral health programs into your organization, contact us today to get started! 

Leverage Telepsychiatry to Build an Effective MAT Program

Access to high-quality substance-use disorder treatment has never been more important. The opioid epidemic continues to grow and impact more and more lives, families, and communities across the country. And, healthcare organizations must include some form of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services for patients with substance use disorders and those seeking addiction treatment.

However, building an effective MAT program at your organization doesn’t have to involve a massive overhaul of your organization’s services. Working with a dedicated telepsychiatry or behavioral health partner can help if you’re just getting started and enable you to better expand your program to meet the growing needs of your community.

Note: This piece will focus on building a standard Office-Based Opioid Treatment program (OBOT) rather than a more intensive Opioid Treatment Program (OTP). If you’re hoping to learn more about providing OTP services, including methadone clinics, check out our full whitepaper on building an MAT program.

We will also share some insights from Iris Telehealth’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Thomas Milam throughout this piece for further insights into substance-use disorder and treatment.

Building an MAT program from scratch

Generally speaking, you’ll want to build out an OBOT program if you’re planning on prescribing Suboxone to treat patients with opioid-use disorders (OUDs). An OBOT program will allow prescribers with an X waiver to prescribe schedule III, IV, and V controlled substances to help treat those patients.

If that kind of treatment would be a good fit for your patients, make sure to keep in mind these key considerations when building your program:

  • Any providers participating in your OBOT program (i.e., prescribing these controlled substances, including Suboxone/buprenorphine) will need an X waiver. If your current providers don’t have their X waiver, they can undergo training from the DEA and apply for their waiver.
  • While your provider is receiving the appropriate training for their X waiver, your organization can start building what your OBOT program would look like. Alternatively, you can hire a provider who has their X waiver and specialized experience working with patients experiencing OUD who can help support your program. Remember, working with a strategic behavioral health partner can expand your access to highly qualified providers for your program.
  • To have a Suboxone program, you need to be able to refer patients to a counselor. If you don’t have internal counseling services available, you should have a formalized referral relationship with another provider or organization in your community that does.
  • Plan on having clinic staff available on-site to monitor patients when they start their first day of Suboxone.
  • When starting patients on Suboxone, you may initially have them come in once a week. Then you will likely see them once every three months for maintenance.
  • Your OBOT program will have record-keeping requirements that your organization must meet. You’ll need to comply with 42 CFR, a federal regulation requiring an additional standard of privacy than typical HIPAA requirements. You will need to keep a log of all patients currently (or previously) prescribed Suboxone. Generally, you can keep these records in your standard EMR.

Challenges and opportunities you might face

The number one challenge your healthcare organization will likely face is dealing with stigma. People with substance use disorders are often the victims of stigma, stereotypes, negative portrayals in the media, and preconceived notions around what those disorders look like.

However, there are steps you can take to overcome that challenge, and it all starts with education:

  1. Educate your staff: Provide comprehensive education to your team. Include an overview of medications (including medications like naltrexone, which doesn’t require any special licensing or certifications for prescribers). An MAT program doesn’t have to mean a methadone clinic. MAT services can be easily and seamlessly incorporated into the work your team is already doing.
  2. Educate your community: It will be essential to educate your community on what substance use disorders are (and what they aren’t) and that they do not discriminate based on social status, economic status, race, or background.
  3. Educate your patients: Spread the word. Let your patients know about the value of your MAT services, regardless of whether they have a documented SUD. Current patients may serve as an excellent referral source for community members in need of treatment.

Remember, the most significant benefit of building an MAT program is providing a valuable service to your community that will save lives.

Finding the right provider for your program

As you build out your program, it’s important to ensure you hire the right provider for your patient population, the kind of substance use disorders you treat, and your organization’s culture.

Here are some best practices for finding the right provider for your MAT program:

  • Make sure your provider has dedicated experience treating substance use disorders and is familiar with a wide range of treatment options.
  • If your organization serves patients experiencing opioid use disorders and plans on prescribing Suboxone, you should only consider providers with their X waiver or willing to get their X waiver.
  • Look for providers who have worked with patients like yours and understand the particular challenges they face.
  • If your organization is in a rural or underserved community, consider utilizing a strategic behavioral health partner to open up your provider pool.

Leverage partners to support telehealth MAT program offerings

Fortunately, you don’t have to build out your MAT program by yourself. Behavioral health partners like Iris Telehealth can be valuable resources to help your healthcare organization source and vet potential behavioral health providers for your program.

Here are some benefits to using a partner to develop an effective MAT telehealth program:

  • Leveraging partnerships that utilize telepsychiatry or virtual care will allow you to access high-quality providers from across the country who have their X waiver and can prescribe Suboxone.
  • Through a dedicated partner relationship, your organization can draw on the expertise and experience of organizations and providers who have been through this exact process and have seen effective MAT programs in action.
  • A behavioral health partner will be able to support the long-term, sustainable growth of your telehealth MAT program. This support will decrease the burden of recruitment and program implementation on your team.

If you’ve encountered challenges finding highly qualified providers in your area, we strongly recommend considering telehealth as an option to help you better serve your community.

Some key resources to get started

Countless clinics and healthcare organizations have successfully navigated this process, and you will be able to benefit from their guidance and experience. You can also on some helpful resources in the early stages of building your program.

Some resources to start with include:

Then, if you’re planning on utilizing strategic partnerships or telepsychiatry to build up your program or source highly qualified providers, Iris Telehealth can help your organization through that process. If you want to learn more about getting started, contact us today or download our comprehensive whitepaper on building an effective MAT program for more information.

Clinician Corner: Why Iris Provider Elaina Najera Believes Telehealth Creates a More Inclusive Future

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 Elaina Najera, one of our incredible LCSWs.   

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

A. I was looking at all the available online positions at different job hosting sites. I located Iris and thought, “Telehealth, I could do that. I’ve done that already.”

Then, when I did the initial meeting with Iris, and they started telling me about the organization, I was immediately sold on the ability to work from home and to work for some of the most disenfranchised folks. That’s a huge issue for me. Serving communities that aren’t normally served appealed to me.

Another thing that was huge was the competitive pay. That was another factor in considering this job. When I thought through the first couple of interviews, I realized this job was what I wanted. 

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

A. I have been a social worker for at least 15 years and did in-person care. Then, with the advent of COVID-19 and a public health emergency, the state allowed for telehealth and expanded the ability. Initially, at the start of the pandemic, I was in case management work, not direct client service therapy.

Then, I switched mid-pandemic to doing therapy full-time, and it was all by telephone. I couldn’t even use Zoom at that location. It was very different. Comparing the two, no matter where I am, who I am, and where I’m at, I’m always the same person. I’m authentic, and I will be the same caring provider that I am, whether in person or using telehealth.

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.

Even through telehealth, I can build those same strong relationships with my clients that I had while I was an in-person provider as well.

Q. How do you foster connection with patients virtually?

A. In person, you can see more of their environment. Sometimes, you can latch on to different things. Fostering a virtual connection means being authentic and genuine with what you are and who you are and acknowledging that sometimes there will be technology issues. Sometimes, there will be connectivity issues, and rolling with that when that happens.

By doing telehealth, I can see into people’s homes, which you’re not typically able to see, and see how people function in their homes in a traditional setting as a therapist. I can see pictures in the background and say, “Oh, that’s interesting.” Or they might say, “My room is super messy right now – ‘this’ is what’s going on.”

That fosters a relationship to say, “Okay, so what’s going on emotionally, mentally, that your room is in this state?” Virtually, it’s about being authentic. That’s one thing I will always come back to.

I am open to questions because sometimes your patients do not see your office. For example, they see my blurred virtual background. They’re not seeing all the things that tell them about me that they might see in an in-person setting. That’s why I’ll wear fun earrings, and then they’ll ask about it, and we joke about things and share. For me, engagement is huge for fostering that connection.

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

A. Since joining Iris, my work-life balance has been so much better. Getting rid of a commute has transformed my life and being home when I’m done with work. Managing a work-life balance for me is important because I am also a caregiver to my sister, who has some health issues.

So, being available to take her where she needs to go and do those things after work is important to me. One of the ways I manage my work-life balance is when my computer is off, I’m not working. I don’t have Zoom on my phone; I don’t check my emails when I’m off work. I’m grateful to be in a setting without being on call or having things to worry about.

That was a huge selling point for me with Iris – it’s more like traditional therapy. You are a therapy provider because you’re not on call or responding to crises and emergencies. I have a history of working in residential treatment. When you’re working in residential, it’s always a crisis.

As I’ve grown with Iris in the last six or seven months, I’ve had a new sense of calm and peace about my work life. That’s wonderful for me. I also make sure to schedule time off, be proactive about that time off, and make that a priority for myself and my family. I also make sure I take my breaks.

Someone asked me, “How do you do it when you have four or five sessions back-to-back?” I say, “I do the 50-minute therapeutic hour, and then I have 10 minutes to write a note or pet one of my cats, make a cup of tea, take a break, walk around in my living room, and listen to a song.”

One of my life passions is K-Pop, which has been for about 20 years. To manage and enjoy my life, I’ll listen to a K-pop song and find peace between sessions so I can show up and be the best person for my clients.

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

A. The most rewarding part of my job is being able to serve folks who usually wouldn’t be able to access care. I have a caseload of at least five or six folks who are unhoused right now and are struggling to meet their basic needs. The rewarding part is meeting them where they’re at – if they are in a parking lot, parked in their car because that’s where they’re sleeping for the night. I can meet them there and provide therapy to them that way.

It’s rewarding to see a slight change. The way I look at it is there’s a spectrum of suffering, and if we can move that needle a little bit, we’re not going make huge changes overnight, especially when folks’ basic needs aren’t being met. Reducing that suffering for that day, week, or month is rewarding.

The rewarding part is there’s a social justice issue mixed in all of it. Some people would not be able to access care because of either being unhoused, being disabled, having mobility issues, or having transportation issues; being able to serve those populations and give back to a community is so rewarding.

Q. What does providing teletherapy to the unhoused community look like in practice?

A. Most folks in California, where I practice, have a government phone. The government phone allows them access for free for maybe a dollar a month. It’s very affordable. So, usually, they also have data, and we can do a Zoom call. If we can’t do a Zoom call, we do it by telephone.

I still provide the same care, compassion, and connection. I have some of the greatest relationships with folks who we only meet by phone, but they trust me, talk to me, and it’s a wonderful experience.

If they don’t have a private place to meet, say they’re in shared housing right now in the shelter, they go to the local behavioral health office in Nevada County where I work, and we set them up in a room with a Zoom or Team’s link. I have one patient right now who does it that way, so they’re afforded privacy in an office space.

Q. What do you love about working with Iris?

A. I love everything, but I particularly love the amount of support that I have. I have my Clinical Operations Manager, Katelyn Deckert, shout out to her. She was recently on maternity leave, so bless her for having her baby. Melissa Kennedy was able to cover during that time. I never felt like I didn’t have support. I always had support.

The other thing is that Iris has fostered such a good relationship with my clinic that my clinic trusts me. They trust Iris, and I feel like a valued professional. I have beautiful equipment that works wonderfully for the job. I have wonderful pay and benefits that are huge to me.

Medical benefits are another issue in our country for people who need medical coverage. To have it as part of my job is wonderful, too. I love telling folks, I work from home, and I get to provide therapy to people.” I love sharing that. I love telling people I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and do clinical social work every day from my own home.

That’s huge for me. That’s what I love about Iris. I got one of my close friends and confidants a position with Iris. She’s been on for three or four months now, and I’m working on getting as many other of my LCSW friends to come over.

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

A. With the advent of the public health emergency of COVID, which we are still experiencing, COVID is still very existent. We saw that it is possible for folks to access care from home and access care in other ways than traditionally going into an office. You’re talking about travel time to an office, being in the office, waiting for the appointment, making the next appointment, leaving the office, and traveling back home.

For some folks, it’s a disability justice issue as well. Another area that I’m very passionate about is disability advocacy. We’re finding that more and more folks have been disabled by virtue of having COVID-19 infections. There’s a lot of long COVID happening, but disabled people have always existed, and they’re suddenly realizing that things do not have to be in person to have the same quality, care, and impact.

For me, it’s the future because it’s the most inclusive. It’s the option that will allow us to serve the most people. Some people have never been able to see a psychiatrist, but now they can because they can see one through telehealth from an Iris provider. To me, that’s amazing. That is the future.

Folks like me who are highly skilled in this field for a reason can reach more people via telehealth. It reduces barriers to getting treatment. That’s the future.

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

A. My advice for someone new to telehealth is to be yourself. Practice with your equipment on someone else who’s not a client so you can get familiar with your equipment. Thankfully, Iris does that with you. You get to practice with IT when they set you up, and then you get to practice with your COM.

And remember, don’t ever think that telehealth is “less than.” There’s a stigma or a judgment that happens in the psychiatry and therapy community that somehow telehealth is less than. If you feel that as a provider, your clients and patients will feel that, too. Starting in telehealth, you need to honor telehealth for the sacred connection that it is and just as equal and valuable as an in-person session.

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

How Health Systems Can Develop a Financially Sustainable Behavioral Health Program

In the U.S., 14.1 million people have a serious mental illness, making behavioral health treatment critical. However, significant barriers keep people from the care they need, including the provider shortage and lack of specialty care, leading people to seek treatment in the ED.

Building a financially sustainable behavioral health program at scale can help these patients get quality care and reduce the total spend on their medical conditions (for both the patients and the health systems providing treatment). Partnering with an organization that can facilitate efficient care models can help your organization scale services and meet quality measures that enable your health system to thrive.

In this blog, we’ll share the keys to building a financially sustainable behavioral health program and insights from our Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Dan Ferris, on the benefits and impact on total cost of care.

The benefits of achieving a financially sustainable behavioral health program

Every health system faces a hierarchy of needs regarding patient care – from those who need immediate care in the ED to those stuck in referral queues to those who need proactive outreach in the community.

Let’s take a look at the six ways achieving financial sustainability can benefit your patients and overall organization:

  • Increased revenue: In outpatient settings, many health systems are foregoing revenue by not having timely access available – driving unnecessarily high leakage and no-show rates. By having scalable care models that provide high-quality care, you can see and retain more patients.
  • Sustainable margins: To drive sustainable margins in outpatient behavioral healthcare, health systems must leverage a multidisciplinary care team that works top-of-license and deliberately ensures patients are navigated to the right resource at the right time in the right way.
  • Increased ED throughput: By augmenting your on-site care with a multidisciplinary team of behavioral health providers available 24/7/365, you can ensure every patient receives timely access to quality care and is not taking up valuable space in the ED longer than is clinically appropriate.
  • Reduced admissions: By having access to a variety of virtual providers, like licensed counselors, PMHNPs, and MDs, on your team, patients are more likely to get to the right level of care and help ensure only the most critical are admitted, and those who might be more effectively treated in a lower level of care get the help they need. Ultimately, this approach can help decrease long-term costs.
  • Limited revisit rates: By providing the most effective care possible, and ensuring every patient has an optimal discharge plan to manage their mental health, patients are less likely to come back to your hospital. At the same time, it can also better position your organization to retain patients within your network.
  • Improved total cost of care: By treating behavioral health, you get the benefits of integrated behavioral health care. That’s because alongside physical conditions, you’re helping total cost of care over time, and increasing key metrics like pharmacy cost, reducing length of stay, and improving patient outcomes.

All six of these benefits combined help create a behavioral health program that’s both efficient and successful. Next, we’ll review the quality care models that help make financial sustainability in behavioral health care possible.

Care models that build a financially sustainable future

At Iris, we design programs that seamlessly integrate into a health system and connect organizations with the highest quality behavioral health specialists. These services have helped organizations reduce their referral backlog by 83%, divert 36% of psych referrals to a lower level of care, and improve depression symptoms by 38% over eight weeks of care. You can read the full story here.

Here’s a look inside how our services work

Bridge Care Services: A Behavioral Health Integration model backed by clinical and operational expertise to solve ambulatory care at scale and deliver long-term clinical and financial outcomes for hospitals and health systems. We ensure the patients who need care first get care first – while being efficiently directed to an appropriate care plan. Our cross-functional care team of psychiatrists, therapists, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners will fully integrate into your health system. When clinically appropriate, our team will facilitate collaborative transitions to additional ambulatory services, primary care, and community partners as needed.

Key takeaway: Bridge Care Services hits target metrics such as expanding and accelerating access to care and achieving critical financial results like increasing revenue, driving sustainable margins, and improving total cost of care.

On-Demand Services: These services leverage a team of providers to help support ED and MedSurg units with on-demand consults 24/7 – ensuring your health system is never without a behavioral health specialist. On-Demand Services provides access to providers who are experts in assessing and managing risk to help patients get triaged and evaluated as quickly as possible.

Key takeaway: On-Demand Services leads to increased ED throughput, decreased inpatient admissions, and reduced revisit rates.

Scheduled Services: This approach provides a predictable coverage model for organizations, meaning your virtual providers are available on a regular schedule each week. Most importantly, it means your providers are never without a behavioral health provider to lean on for their expertise.

Key takeaway: Scheduled Services expands patient access to behavioral health care, increases revenue, and improves total cost of care.

Laying the foundation for whole-person care

Physical and behavioral health are intrinsically linked. For example, research from the National Library of Medicine shows that 74.9% of psychiatric inpatients had at least one medical comorbidity, including 57.5% of people ages 18-24.

If you’re managing total cost of care and population health, behavioral health integration is essential.

According to a behavioral health analysis by Evernorth Health Services, treating behavioral health conditions in outpatient care is directly tied with a reduction in medical and pharmacy costs. In their analysis, they highlight savings up to $2,565 per person over the 15 months following a diagnosis and up to $3,321 per person over the 27 months following a diagnosis.

Where Iris Telehealth fits in

Iris Telehealth delivers high-quality behavioral health services via telehealth all across the country. From our rigorous provider vetting process to our in-depth knowledge and expertise, we help ensure your organization has a thriving, financially stable behavioral health program.

Contact us today to learn more about our care models and how we can help your organization increase ED throughput and provide short-term care to your patient population.