A crucial consideration for telemental health is how and when to provide services. Individual mental health providers can implement virtual care platforms into their practice, and offer this alternative to patients who need it most. Those who use a virtual care platform are able to treat more patients and can support them in between visits. “Technology really helps us get more bang for our buck and extend our service reach,” says Eve-Lynn Nelson, assistant director of research at the University of Kansas Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth. However, an important best practice for telehealth is to identify patients who are best suited for this type of delivery of care.

Employee wellness and disability management companies also play an important role in addressing this pandemic. As per the WHO, work environments “that promote mental health and support people with mental disorders are more likely to reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and benefit from associated economic gains.” Employers can reduce productivity loss from both absenteeism and presenteeism by including telehealth in their employee assistance programs. Here’s some more information on how virtual care can help employee wellness programs.

Raising awareness for mental health is a paramount step to reducing its stigma and increasing the likelihood for people to seek care. But if we don’t have the capability to provide the care, mental illness and suicide rates will only continue to rise. Utilizing, and more importantly normalizing, virtual care technology can improve health outcomes in patients and reduce the economic burden to companies and economies. So what are we waiting for?