Cultivating a gold-standard patient experience is essential in behavioral health. This is especially true as many patients, especially IDD (intellectual and development disabilities) patients, require additional resources and assistance throughout treatment. Although many behavioral health agencies see virtual care and a white label telehealth portal as a key part of their business, they continue to deliver this care through disparate and unreliable patient tools. They may use point products such as a video solution, a call centre, or even unsecure email and phone to capture patient information and complete telehealth appointments. Not only do point products cause confusion for both the patient and provider, but they result in a negative patient experience overall.  

How do behavioral health agencies create and sustain a positive patient experience that increases patient retention and graduation rates? We believe that an integrated telehealth and patient portal is the key to delivering high quality behavioral health across every vertical, be it addiction, mental health, and autism care. A patient portal that includes telehealth tools such as digital onboarding and eSignature, automatic appointment reminders, and instant messaging features encourages patients to connect and engage with their providers throughout treatment. Outside of traditional appointment settings, a patient portal enables patients to access their health information at any time, review provider reports, and send information to caregivers securely and safely. In fact, “Patients are more likely to accept medical care and follow treatment plans if they feel they communicate well with their providers.”