Telehealth uses digital information and communication technologies, such as computers and mobile devices, to access health care services remotely. A rapid increase in the use of telehealth at the onset of COVID-19 pandemic initially helped physicians respond, under limiting and uncertain circumstances, to mental and physical health concerns of patients. At its pandemic peak, telehealth represented 13% of outpatient visits between March and August of 2020.

We continue to envision an expanded role for telehealth in the delivery of care following the pandemic with considerable interest in how telehealth impacts behavioral health care and affects access, cost, and quality. While the inception of telemedicine greatly expanded the convenience of remote care, virtual care now has the capability to go even farther, delivering a relationship-centered version of personalized holistic care with remote-capable services that support a patient’s entire digital healthcare journey - from wellness visits and preventative to urgent and chronic care - all within a virtual environment.

Virtual primary care model

Today’s most in-demand telehealth innovation is Virtual Primary Care (VPC), a modern healthcare delivery experience tailored specifically to complex medical realities: the primary care needs of an exploding population coupled with a shortage of primary care physicians; a demand for more convenient access to care; and ever-increasing measures to reduce costs. These challenges are powerfully addressed by VPC, a beneficial evolution of telemedicine that is a true digital health solution.

As stigmas around mental health are subsiding, behavioral health is becoming more accepted and accessed as part of VPC mode, connecting patients and providers face-to-face in real-time as part of a “virtual first” approach to care. This capability and patient experience provide numerous conveniences and benefits to behavioral healthcare – virtually accessed and delivered from the comfort, convenience and confidentiality of home.

How it works
Today’s patients and clinicians are accustomed to integrated technologies and self‑directed digital experiences. They expect nothing less from healthcare. A “virtual visit” experience using innovative telehealth technologies provide numerous benefits to delivering cost-efficient, quality care. Top primary care physicians are dedicated to understanding the patient’s needs and developing a tailored care plan with ongoing care. A relationship with a dedicated primary care physician is established, and patients interact virtually through multiple communication channels, including real-time video, mobile and secure messaging.

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