Virtual Care's Role in Behavioral Health — Opportunities and Risks Highlighted Based on Recent Data

Sanjula Jain, Ph.D., chief research officer at Trilliant recently spoke with Managed Healthcare Executive about the distinct role of virtual care, particularly in behavioral health.

Based off of recent studies published by Trilliant Health, Jain pointed out that virtual care is most effective for "low acuity behavioral health" and stressed the importance of differentiating between long-term care delivery relationships and more transactional, direct-to-consumer models.

Virtual care offers a significant opportunity to bridge the gap between supply and demand in behavioral health services, she shared. However, there are risks associated with the lack of integration between virtual care and traditional healthcare systems, particularly in medication management.

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“There is probably more focus on the care delivery relationship piece that providers should really be thinking about when it comes to medication management,” she said.

She also suggested that virtual care could be used to identify comorbidities and create referral relationships for higher acuity needs but noted it’s a broader challenge not limited to virtual care alone.

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Jain told MHE editors she sees virtual care as a tool with the potential to enhance patient engagement and access to necessary services, though it requires careful implementation to ensure comprehensive care.