This is the Watershed Moment for Telebehavioral Health


Telebehavioral health services have become virtually the only mechanism for maintaining access to care amid this unfolding COVID-19 crisis.

Telehealth has reached its tipping point. These are historic and unprecedented times as healthcare organizations, clinicians, consumers, payers, and regulators recognize the value of telehealth and are quickly pivoting to remote models of care as a safe, effective, and timely way to deliver services during this critical time of need.

In the wake of COVID-19, hospitals need to conserve available beds and resources; clinics and clinicians have countless reasons to virtualize and bring services into the home. Payers are increasingly supporting new methods of delivering healthcare services across communities at scale. And regulations are evolving to make all of this happen. This is the watershed moment for telehealth. Telehealth is finally in the national spotlight and is being heralded as the ideal solution to meet the escalating need for care during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.

It is obvious that remote services via telehealth makes great sense for primary care right now. Many are also recognizing that telehealth makes intuitive sense for behavioral healthcare now and forever into the future.

An individual’s mental health, physical health, and overall well-being are inseparable, and with widespread closures, self-quarantines, and expectations of social distancing, telebehavioral health services have become virtually the only mechanism for maintaining access to care amid this unfolding COVID-19 crisis.

Telebehavioral health has become the new normal, and this mechanism for receiving services is here to stay. Telepsychiatry will survive as a standard for delivering care long after this crisis because it empowers healthcare organizations to use scarce resources wisely, payers to increase access and manage costs, clinicians to practice safely and effectively, and for individuals to have choice in where, when, and how they access vital behavioral health services.

To read the full article on how telepsychiatry can used in various settings across the continuum of care to deliver behavioral health services to communities in need and the importance of keeping the telehealth-friendly regulations that were rapidly put into place in response to COVID-19 once the initial crisis subsides, visit http://insighttelepsychiatry.com/this-is-the-watershed-moment-for-telebehavioral-health/.

About the Author

Geoffrey Boyce is the CEO of InSight + Regroup, the leading telepsychiatry service provider in the United States with a mission to transform access to quality behavioral health care. Boyce is a leader in telemedicine advocacy, education and reform initiatives. He serves as a national voice promoting telemedicine and telepsychiatry and regularly interacts with state and local healthcare regulators and administrators. In 2017, he received the Industry Leader Award from the American Telemedicine Association. Boyce is an active participant in several ATA Special Interest Groups and Workgroups including: the Telemental Health SIG, the Interstate SIG, the controlled substances prescribing and telehealth workgroup and the proposed workgroup on the expatriate telemedicine providers. He also serves on the advisory board of directors for the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (MATRC). In 2018, he was appointed to the New Jersey Telehealth Review Commission. Boyce frequently speaks about the potential of telemedicine and the best practices for establishing new programs. He holds an MBA from Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia with a focus on entrepreneurship.

About InSight + Regroup

InSight + Regroup is the leading and largest telepsychiatry service provider in the US with a mission to transform access to quality behavioral health care. InSight + Regroup serves hundreds of organizations and individuals in various settings across the continuum of care with its on-demand, scheduled services and direct-to-consumer (Inpathy) divisions. Given its size, diversity of services and extensive experience and expertise, InSight + Regroup is uniquely positioned to enable scalable telepsychiatry programs across the care continuum. As an industry thought leader, InSight + Regroup has helped shape the field, define the standard of care and advocate for improved telepsychiatry-friendly regulations. To learn more, visit http://www.InSightTelepsychiatry.com and http://www.RegroupTelehealth.com.

Share article on social media or email:

Leave a Reply