Telehealth Platform Adds Online Assessments, Advice
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
MDLIVE launches tools to evaluate stress, relationship problems, and more.
The need for behavior and mental health services is expanding rapidly nationwide. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), in 2014 there were an estimated 43.6 million adults (18.1 percent) over the age of 18 who suffered from some degree of mental illness in the United States.
Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act began to provide access to quality healthcare that included coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorder services, and all new small group and individual private market plans were required to cover these services as part of the healthcare law’s Essential Health Benefits categories, according to an HHS blog post.
To help meet this growing need, MDLIVE has launched several tools designed to help individuals evaluate their behavioral health needs. The company’s teletherapy services are offered through Breakthrough, an MDLIVE company.
With Breakthrough’s new free online assessments, users answer a series of questions about symptoms, feelings, relationships, and/or recent life changes and learn about potential conditions they might be experiencing, such as depression, anxiety, or stress, as well as the state of their behavioral health. Though the assessments do not give a diagnosis alone, they can be a starting point for those wondering if they should seek professional help or wanting to work with a therapist on an appropriate treatment plan.
Breakthrough can be accessed on Breakthrough.com or the Breakthrough app. After users establish a free account, they can browse and schedule a video consult with the therapist of their choice. The cost per visit is based on the therapist selected; however, Breakthrough accepts most insurance plans. Common conditions treated include addictions, depression, eating disorders, grief and loss, and more
The potential of telemedicine for behavioral health has been recognized for years, particularly due to the shortage and maldistribution of mental health professionals, costs, and stigma associated with having a mental illness. A 2012 California healthCare Foundation report about Web-based care for mental health found, “Computer-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) cost-effectively leverages the Internet for coaching patterns in self-driving or provider-assisted programs. Technological advances have enabled computer systems designed to replicate aspects of cognitive behavior therapy for a growing range of mental health issues.”