March 17, 2022
Telehealth accounted for more than a third of all outpatient mental health and substance use disorder visits during the six months ending August 2021, according to new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and Epic Research.
The report, released this week, reviews electronic health records data from more than 150 organizations from March 2019 through August 2021. While some care returned to in-person settings during 2021, patients continued to rely on telehealth for outpatient mental health and substance use disorder services, the report notes.
“The telehealth boom for mental health and substance use services far exceeds the increase recorded over the same period for other outpatient services,” the report notes.
Here are five takeaways from the report:
“This is a product of several factors, including the tremendous increase in need for mental health services as a result of the pandemic, social distancing and ensuing economic turmoil, as well as a return to in-person visits for other outpatient care,” the report notes.
HAP continues to advocate for initiatives that improve access to telehealth services, including the extension of COVID-19 flexibilities that have made it easier for patients to access this critical care.
Learn more about HAP’s behavioral health priorities, including policies to expand access to care so that Pennsylvanians can obtain the services that best fit their needs.
The KFF/Epic Research analysis is available online.
Tags: Telehealth | Regulatory Advocacy | Behavioral Health | COVID-19
Click on topic below for category-specific news articles.
Support a healthier Pennsylvania.