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April 18, 2024
1 in 5 American adults each year is affected by mental health and substance use disorders. [1] Despite their prevalence, many behavioral conditions are left undiagnosed or untreated, which can lead to serious consequences – including major medical conditions, increased risk of premature death, and higher total costs of care.
Virtual solutions like Recuro Behavioral Health (https://recurohealth.com/virtual-behavioral-health/) can break down traditional barriers to mental healthcare by offering real-time sessions with a provider from home. Virtual visits deliver outcomes equal to in-person consults for many conditions and meet NCQA standards. [2] They also allow for more flexible scheduling, increasing engagement and improving health outcomes. By enabling access to care on their terms, virtual visits can expand and expedite access to quality care, lower costs, and improve flexibility. According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, over 80% of ER physicians say the mental healthcare system inadequately serves patients. [5] Sadly, 43.8 million Americans experienced mental illness just last year, while 60% of them did not receive any mental health services.
Recuro Behavioral Health Solves This Need…
- Access to Care: Nearly 40% of the U.S. population lives in regions with mental health provider shortages, causing limited or delayed access to services. Virtual sessions have been shown as effective as face-to-face visits. In a recent study, members who used virtual visits used other therapy services significantly less following treatment than traditional care. [3]
- Eases Stigma Concerns: Virtual visits allow engagement without physically entering a provider’s office, dispelling fears of stigmatization. They offer a convenient solution for care from the comfort of one’s own space.
- Reduces Medical Costs: Improved mental health adherence leads to better chronic disease treatment plan adherence. About 55M people with mental illness also have a lifelong medical condition. Research shows costs for individuals with diabetes and depression are twice as high as counterparts not depressed. [4] Evidence suggests virtual visits improve mental and physical health and lower overall medical costs. A study concluded that members using virtual visits had 16% lower overall behavioral health care expenditures post-treatment compared to those seeking in-person care. [3]
Dealing with a mental health concern? Book a BH consult with Recuro today: https://member.recurohealth.com/ #MentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #BehavioralHealth #Telemedicine #Telehealth #Psychiatry #Therapy
Sources:
[1] https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/
NSDUHFFR2017/NSDUHFFR2017.pdf
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662387/
[3] https://www.optum.com/content/dam/optum3/optum/en/images/
OBH_valuestory_brochure_digital_EMP_FINAL_2019.09.05.pdf
[4] https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/346405/
WHO-EURO-2019-3637-43396-60933-eng.pdf
[5] https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/emergency-rooms-fail-
treating-mental-health-health-systems-create-new-treatment-plans