Behavioral health providers are “burning out as they try to manage information overload, meet excessive data entry requirements, and deal with the ever-present fear of missing an important detail or data point.” The physician suicide rate is double than that of the public, with 64% of providers reporting excessive burnout annually. The biggest concern for providers is excessive data entry requirements and inaccessible information. 

Siloed systems stand in the way of better care. Companies that utilize separate tools, such as an EHR, a video conferencing software, email, and form and e-signature solutions are working with disparate platforms that only perpetuate a disjointed patient and provider experience. Instead, behavioral health companies need to bring systems together when possible. By consolidating the patient experience and the available data they can ensure they meet increasing demand for care, while making it easier for providers to deliver the care that patients need. 

There is a growing demand from healthcare companies to integrate their tech stacks to synchronize data entry and standardize that data between various software. Integrated software supports quick and easy clinical decision making by making it simple for providers to access accurate data that is consolidated and immediately available. To integrate their systems, behavioral health leaders can look to using APIs. An API is an application programming interface that connects technology so staff no longer have to enter data into multiple systems; rather, they enter data into one system with the data automatically flowing into their other platforms. APIs automatically minimizes excessive data entry requirements and inaccessible information by reducing the steps required to capture and access information when needed. Author Judith Teich says it best: “Making progress on helping people with serious mental illness will depend not just on new drugs but on good information on which effective policies and treatment regimens can be based.”