Telehealth Apps Make You More Productive
Mental wellness apps are changing the way we live, think and work. With amazing applications that offer access to psychologists the sky’s the limit.
In our not so recent past there was a real taboo surrounding mental health issues. The world is changing though and as such, people are becoming much more open and honest about their struggles. We can see this, as the popularity for mental wellness apps continues to surge.
Although we are seeing more companies try to enter the market, engagement and market penetration are still low. Research completed by The National Alliance on Mental Illness shows that mental illness effects one in five American adults on a yearly basis, to the cost of $440 billion to US businesses. Additionally, only 41% of those that experience illness, actually end up receiving care.
Aside from price and stigma, one major barrier to treatment is convenience. Many Americans live in rural areas. According to the United States Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration there are approximately 80 million Americans are living in an area with a mental health professional shortage.
Unutilized services and significant barriers to treatment are costing America. The Rhode Island Psychological Association has stated that people with untreated mental health problems visit the doctor twice as often as people who receive regular mental health care.
Additionally, people that are living with serious mental illness deal with an increased risk of other chronic medical conditions. US adults with serious untreated mental illness die an average 25 years earlier than others, and that is largely due to medical conditions that are treatable.
Telehealth apps are changing that, especially as insurers and employers are realizing just how important mental wellness is to the productivity and wellbeing of not only their employees, but their customers too.
Telehealth apps are convenient, easy, and don’t cost much more than going to see your doctor in person (it often costs less, after you factor in opportunity cost).
The National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability discusses how the progress of mental health apps has had a massive impact on both employees and employers. With technology allowing patients to access their psychologists from their desks they are able to focus on their mental wellbeing quickly and easily thus offering better focus on their job. American employers stand to save up to $6 billion annually in lost working time, due to the inclusion of telehealth applications in insurance plans.
The Zur Institute has compiled information on states that don’t allow prescriptions to be issued via app, so before you sign up, check to make sure your state allows this. Even if your state doesn’t allow prescriptions, you can still get instant access to a psychologist in your time of need.
When asked, what role employers play in their — employees — lives, as it pertains to health and wellbeing, 73% (n=1,003) of respondents said they are looking for emotional and personal support resources from their employers. Additionally, the National Business Group recently completed a health plan survey of large employers, and found that 74% of them are adding telehealth options on their insurance healthcare plans for employees. That is a massive 48% jump from 2015.
Providing people with tele-behavioral counseling is an excellent way to remove the need to take time off of work, be more productive, as well as eliminate the presence of stigma.
About The Author
Dan Miller is the Co-Founder, and CEO of Level Therapy. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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