This year has seen remarkable changes across every element of the healthcare landscape. From the unforeseen curve ball thrown at a vulnerable U.S. healthcare system to the rapid, necessary adoption of telehealth across all care settings, 2020 is nothing like we’ve dealt with before.
With all this change comes a need to be introspective and understand how we can prepare for the days, weeks, months and years ahead. InSight + Regroup maintains partnerships with hospitals and health systems across the nation under unique circumstances to ensure access to timely psychiatric assessments.

To help give us a clearer picture of what hospitals have experienced and may continue to endure related to mental health patients, InSight + Regroup SVP & Medical Director, Dr. Mark Alter, gives his thoughts on the current hospital-based telepsychiatry landscape.

Content last updated on June 30, 2020

In a world changing faster than we ever thought possible, the regulations surrounding telepsychiatry are evolving at lightning speed. The demand for telehealth service has exploded in recent weeks and it is imperative to know the rules and regulations as organizations rapidly adapt to this form of care. Below is a brief highlight of the most relevant policies impacting the telepsychiatry industry today. We will continue to update this post in the coming weeks as the situation evolves.

The spread of the COVID-19, commonly known as coronavirus, is upending daily life around the globe. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus to be a pandemic. To date, there have been over 220,000 cases worldwide, with more than 9,000 deaths reported. There are now widespread mandatory closings and travel restrictions, and many major events have been cancelled or postponed. 

In response, healthcare organizations are seeking ways to provide safe, uninterrupted care to patients while meeting new behavioral needs brought on by psychological trauma. The stresses of quarantine and anxiety about the illness can lead to serious mental health concerns, creating ripple effects that will be felt for months to come. 

By providing care virtually through telepsychiatry, organizations can respond rapidly to patients’ mental health needs and free up in-house clinicians and resources to address escalating medical needs in the wake of the outbreak. Recent legislative updates are paving the way for increased use of telepsychiatry to meet these needs as the coronavirus spreads. Here’s how your organization can effectively prepare.

Federally Qualified Health Center Delivers Quality Behavioral Healthcare with Integrated Telepsychiatry

Established in 2006, the Whiteside County Community Health Clinic (WCCHC) in Rock Falls, Illinois, was created to answer a long-standing need for medical, dental and behavioral healthcare among county residents.

Telepsychiatry’s ability to provide behavioral health services across a multitude of care settings has been a game-changer in addressing the critical shortage of psychiatrists and other clinicians in the U.S while delivering quality care efficiently and effectively.

What can we expect in 2020 and beyond? To find out, we asked more than 500 healthcare professionals across 48 states about their current and future telepsychiatry plans, revealing how many are leveraging telehealth solutions to meet both patient and organizational needs. 

PHILADELPHIA, PA / CHICAGO, IL, Dec. 10, 2019 - InSight Telepsychiatry and Regroup Telehealth have completed a merger agreement to become the largest and most comprehensive telepsychiatry service provider in the U.S.

The merger between InSight and Regroup brings together a robust network of providers and an impressive group of clinical and executive leaders with extensive experience and expertise across different care settings and patient populations for underserved individuals and communities. This joint effort will allow for increased delivery of mental health services across the country in response to a nationwide shortage of specialists coupled with a rising need for behavioral health services.

Based in southern Oregon, Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center operates two clinics that provide a full suite of healthcare services to the Umpqua tribe and surrounding community. Like many Native American communities, however, Cow Creek found itself with a significant need for mental health professionals – and no effective way to meet the needs of its members.

Telemental Health for Federally Qualified Health Centers: Regroup and Whiteside County Health Department On-demand Webinar and Q&A

Whiteside County Community Health Clinic in rural Rock Falls, IL is a federally qualified health center that delivers a wide variety of services to over 13,000 patients per year. In our most recent webinar, Regroup was joined by Beth Fiorini, the county's public health administrator and CEO of the community health clinic and Whitney Miller, behavioral health coordinator for the county and clinic to discuss how they successfully implemented and continue to maintain an effective telepsychiatry program. 

Download the on-demand webinar and read answers to some of the most pressing questions from our panel of experts.

For many hospitals and health systems, the emergency room is the front line for care for patients who need psychiatric help. According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, the number of patients going to emergency departments for psychiatric services increased 42% over a recent three-year period. The problem is particularly serious in rural and remote areas where clinicians are scarce. In a recent Regroup survey, 62% of facilities said unmet patient need was their biggest challenge in delivering mental healthcare.

As health systems work to provide high-quality care while containing costs, more of them are looking beyond traditional in-person care delivery to innovative new models. By turning to telepsychiatry, these facilities can connect patients with preventive services, improve cost efficiencies and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations.

In the latest version of our Sector Spotlight series, we focus on how telepsychiatry can deliver both clinical and operational benefits for hospitals and health systems.

Regroup recently presented at Zoom's user conference, Zoomtopia 2019. As part of a healthcare panel, Regroup's own Medical Director and SVP of Behavioral Health, Dr. Hossam Mahmoud discussed best practices for building, integrating and expanding telehealth solutions during a session titled: Taking your Telehealth program to Warp Speed.