Hybrid behavioral healthcare can be delivered in person and remotely using appropriate technology. This therapeutic approach can provide significant benefits for therapists and patients alike, and as a result, its popularity is growing. Many practices have adopted this service delivery model for its convenience and therapeutic efficacy, but you must partner with the right EHR vendor to reap these benefits.
The hybrid therapy model increases access to therapy and promotes patient engagement. It gives therapists more time with patients in direct therapy by reducing time spent overseeing therapeutic activities or administering routine assessments. Children and adolescents benefit significantly from remote therapy, as children often engage better with therapists in their natural settings, and many adolescents, accustomed to communicating through technology, tend to be more engaged in remote therapy than when face to face. Hybrid therapy offers many benefits, and a robust behavioral health EHR system supports this model.
All behavioral health EHR platforms are designed to support in-person therapy sessions, streamline back- and front-office functions, and house patients’ records, but certain ones also have features specifically designed for remote treatment. Look for features that will enhance the remote therapy experience for patients and therapists alike.
All EHR systems are not created equal. If you are running a hybrid therapy practice, your platform should have specific features to maximize the benefits of this approach.
A mobile application known as a “digital front door” enables patients to conveniently access features of a behavioral health EHR system. Some platforms have a built-in digital front door, while others are compatible with add-on mobile app software. In partnership with a dynamic EHR platform, a mobile app conveniently affords patients access to various engagement technologies.
Patients should be able to set up their own accounts with demographic and insurance information and maintain it throughout their treatment. The mobile app interfacing with the EHR platform must enable them to complete initial and recurring assessments, schedule their own appointments, and make payments. Secure SMS and text messaging features can be used to create reminders and for e-mail or text messaging engagement with therapists between sessions.
The EHR system should have a patient portal. This feature can also be viewed through front-door technology and is critical for a hybrid therapy practice. It permits therapists to grant patients read-only access to certain documents housed in the EHR system. Therapists can assign patients homework or suggest therapeutic activities. Upcoming appointment schedules and invoicing may be viewable, along with educational information about diagnoses, medication information and cautions, treatments, crisis and discharge plans, and anything else the therapist deems helpful for the patient to view. The portal gives patients access to essential information and keeps them engaged with therapy between sessions. It is especially beneficial when participating in therapy remotely.
A behavioral health EHR system is the ideal platform for remote therapy sessions. Its HIPAA-compliant audio/video capabilities support remote sessions, and the patients’ mobile app adds convenience in terms of the session setting. The EHR audio/video platform should also allow for screen sharing, which is helpful for individual, family, or group therapy sessions. With a bit of creativity on the therapist’s part, therapeutic group activities and even bridging activities are possible over a proper platform.
Therapists will see efficiency gains when patients complete assessments remotely, schedule their own appointments, and engage in therapeutic activities outside of sessions. The entire business side of the hybrid therapy practice also benefits from an agile EHR system. Yours should automatically check insurance eligibility before each service to assure payer reimbursement. If the eligibility check shows that the patient bears partial or entire responsibility for payment, it can be collected when the service is completed, either in person or remotely through the mobile app. The EHR billing engine should then run and submit claims to insurance payers immediately following the service. These features support the back- and front-office operations of your practice.
Besides reducing the number of failed claims and lost revenue, your EHR system can improve your practice’s payment cycle and cut costs by shrinking the need for front-desk personnel. A platform that enables patients to schedule appointments, enter and update their demographic information, and check insurance eligibility will reduce staffing needs.
The behavioral health EHR system needed to support your hybrid therapy practice must have or be compatible with a mobile app for your patients. They will also require a patient portal, secure SMS, text and audio/visual capabilities, a self-assessment feature, patient self-scheduling, demographics self-entry and maintenance ability, and a remote payment option. To support your business operations, your system should be capable of automatically checking insurance eligibility and a billing engine that can run claims with each kept appointment.
When considering an EHR platform for your practice, be sure to test these features because they are critical to your success.
Hybrid therapy is a relatively new behavioral health advance. While telehealth had already been used sparingly for a few decades, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a dramatic increase in the use of telehealth. It also tested long-held beliefs about how behavioral health professionals should conduct their work and define the workplace. While initially challenging, re-imagining the behavioral health therapy workplace improved service delivery and patient outcomes. Behavioral health EHR systems were developed quickly and must now keep up with the remote treatment technology needs of therapists and their patients.
A behavioral health EHR platform’s functionality is intrinsically tied to successful hybrid treatment delivery. It advances therapists’ efficiency, improves patient engagement and attendance, forges partnerships between patients and therapists, promotes better patient outcomes, and improves business results.
If your EHR system is equipped to overcome the challenges inherent in a hybrid therapy delivery model, you and your patients can take advantage of the significant benefits of hybrid therapy.
Here at CarePaths, we help therapists work more effectively and improve patient outcomes. To learn more about how we can help you, start your free trial today!
