Health issues do not discriminate, so why should your health care?

Telehealth is changing the game all over the country, improving healthcare for all. Many Americans live with physical and mental disorders that go untreated and undiagnosed due to lack of care. For many people who were previously unable – or unlikely- to seek medical care, telehealth has made it possible. Read more to find out how telehealth serves America, and benefits all.

In this four-part blog series, we will dive into more detail about the following groups of people that benefit from telehealth and telepsychiatry. This month, we will outline how Veterans, Millenials and Teens, and the Incarcerated populations have been under-served, and how telehealth is helping to fix that.

Telehealth Serves Veterans

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a very serious, and sometimes, debilitating anxiety disorder. PTSD has only been well-documented since The Vietnam War. However, evidence suggests that veterans from World War II may also have suffered from PTSD. In other words, that is an entire generation of senior veterans that have gone lifetimes with untreated PTSD.

On the other hand, there are many other equally important issues that veterans face including Substance Use Disorders, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Hazardous Exposures, Chronic Pain, Depression, etc. The list of veteran-related disorders is complex, and telehealth is here to help.

As a result of the lack of care available for many Veterans, The VA has just implemented their Anywhere to Anywhere program. This program is leading the nation in telehealth care for Veterans. The VA now provides telehealth at more than 900 sites across the country in over 50 areas of specialty care, to veterans who would otherwise not have access.

Please join us next month for our second installment of this blog-series, as we uncover more about America’s Veterans. We we learn how telehealth is assisting in their mental and physical well-beings.

Millennials and Teens: Tech-Savvy Patients

Telehealth is the perfect medical tool for tech-savvy Millennials and Teens. Millennials and Teens are the first generations to grow up during the technology boom, and they are the groups most likely seek medical care via telehealth. A recent survey noted that 40% of Millennials view telehealth as a vital part of modern healthcare. Not only is the technology aspect intriguing, but the idea of immediately accessible healthcare offers huge incentives as well.

1 in 5 teens ages 13-18 have, or will have, a mental health disorder. That percentage is astronomical, considering that it is more than the number of children with cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. Mental illness is an important issue, especially among teens. Despite this fact, not nearly enough of them have access to behavioral and mental health care. Telehealth provides the chance for therapy and psychiatric care, as well as treatment for a myriad of medical issues. Another example of how telehealth serves America.

Incarcerated and Under-Served

2.3 million Americans are currently incarcerated in prisons and jails. Thanks to telehealth, providers are able to reach a grossly overlooked population of Americans for both physical health and mental health.

26% of those incarcerated in jails have met the threshold for serious psychological distress. In a study held by the CDC, telehealth is used – by an overwhelming percentage – for  psychiatric health. Telepsychiatry is helping incarcerated Americans to receive the therapy and assistance to a population that has been previously under-served.

Prisons are, by definition, difficult to get in and out of- especially regarding medical care. Telehealth aids in public safety, as prisoners are not required to leave the prison to receive care. Also, providers are not required to physically enter these facilities to care for their patients. Subsequently, this makes providers more willing to treat inmates, thereby making healthcare available to more inmates. Telehealth is making is easier and safer than ever to serve Americans in the prison system.

Wrapping Up

Please join us over the next four months while we study each population and the impact telehealth has on them. Next month, we will talk specifically about Veterans, the common health issues they face, how telehealth benefits them, and other examples of how telehealth serves America.

Encounter Telehealth is a provider of Telehealth and Telemental Health Services in the United States. We serve over 3,000 patients nationwide. We witness, every day, the impact that telehealth and tele-mental health has on patients all over America.

If you are a facility that may be interested in Encounter Telehealth’s services, please contact us HERE.

If you are a provider that may be interested in joining a fast-growing telehealth company, please contact us HERE.

And if you, or a loved one, is in a facility that may be interested in receiving telehealth care, please contact us HERE.