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Will Telehealth Increase Access to Mental Healthcare and Natural Healthcare Practitioners?
In a word — YES!
Thinking back to the recent pandemic years, telehealth was certainly able to increase access to
mental health services, which were sorely needed. Since that time, telehealth services have
expanded rapidly; in fact, for those who have insurance coverage with their employers, mental
health services in the form of telehealth have increased 20-fold. One can participate in one-on-
one sessions as well as in group therapy sessions – virtually. So if you are in clinical practice,
research has affirmed benefits for both patients/clients, and clinicians, which include but are not
limited to positive mental health and medical outcomes, more access to care, costs can be less
(thin lower overhead, for example), and clinicians also have increased access to professional
development, according to the National Library of Medicine.
While some studies and practitioners report that many clients and practitioners, themselves
prefer in-person sessions (around 80%), especially when it comes to building trust and rapport,
much has been accomplished in a virtual format. Some benefits include the obvious convenience,
as sessions can be accessed from just about anywhere, travel time is cut back or even out, clients
don’t necessarily need to take time off work or find childcare, and people in rural areas,
especially those with limited transportation, can see professionals through their computer.
There are still some disadvantages, however, so telehealth will not be great for everyone. Many
individuals have limited or no access to technology, and they may also not have technical know-
how even if they can be on a computer. Confidentiality may also be problematic for many
clients, depending on where and how they access sessions. Also, there may be technical issues,
which happen frequently when using computers and the internet, such as poor internet
connections and other things which can disrupt services. Since telehealth is regulated, regulations
can be confusing for both practitioners and clients; in some states, health insurance may not offer
coverage for telehealth practitioners who are out of state, so clients will need to go out-of-pocket
for these services.
Some suggestions for privacy are: make sure you are in a private location, turn off nearby
devices which may hear or record what you say, watch for security cameras, web cameras, etc.,
avoid using a public computer or a work computer and stay off public Wi-Fi networks. Be sure
the computer equipment you are using has all the latest security updates.
Telehealth for Natural Healthcare Practitioners
For all of the reasons mentioned above, all the benefits and disadvantages, telehealth will work
for natural care practitioners. Obviously for those whose services require direct touching (think
chiropractors, massage practitioners, acupuncturists, etc.), these sessions must remain in-person.
Some of the natural services that can be provided remotely are nutrition consultations,
homeopathy, counseling, wellness programs, diet and lifestyle recommendations, women’s
health, gastrointestinal issues, skin conditions, and much more. Alternative healthcare
practitioners can also do remote monitoring through telehealth.
The National Library of Medicine published a study on the use and effects of telehealth on the
practice of complementary, alternative, and integrative medical practices, and found that service
delivery was feasible, acceptable, and also results in positive health outcomes. However, there
were some challenges. Clients participating in yoga interventions reported that they had to
frequently readjust screens, they had trouble learning and doing the poses at the same time, and
missed instructor feedback in real time. They also had trouble bonding with their instructor.
Overall, however, participants in this study felt that telehealth approaches were still highly
valuable.
In fact, finding out about difficulties encountered during the delivery of telehealth services, for
all types of services, offers opportunities to improve; hence, obtaining this information is very
valuable for both practitioners and clients/patients.
In conclusion, it’s important to note that chronic illnesses (including mental health disorders) are
becoming increasingly common, and are among the leading causes of deaths and disabilities in
America, according to the CDC. These individuals find it hard to get to their practitioners, so
telehealth is a good way for providers to monitor clients/patients remotely. In post-pandemic
times, as the use of telehealth is increasing, it helps reduce costs and improve quality of and
access to care.