Many counseling centers had to quickly transition to telehealth this past year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some found it easier to adjust to this change, but most of them learned invaluable lessons in delivering virtual care.
Nikki Fangman, LPCC, executive director of MEBS Counseling, with a Kentucky-based practice had to go all virtual within a week. The initial weeks were tough. After more than nine months into the pandemic, the nation struggles with high rates of anxiety, depression and healthcare providers like MEBS (Meaningful Emotional Behavioral Service) try to find synergy via connected health.
Fangman says that the level of comfort is different from patient to patient – and from provider to provider. Infact, the value of a telehealth program is it can be molded to fit the individual wants and needs of provider and patient.
Fangman mentioned that she has worked with adults who prefer a virtual connection from the comfort of their home. While kids want or need the counselor in the same room with them to make a connection. So, the belief that seniors aren’t comfortable with telehealth and the idea that people born after 1970s are comfortable online is not correct all the time.
The clinic is conducting video visits for both individual and family therapy programs and utilizing the platform for “virtual walks” in programs like Big Brothers / Big Sisters. They are planning programs for rural communities, schools, and businesses. They are also planning programs for rural communities, businesses and schools- even in the front porch if that is the place where patients feel comfortable connecting with the counselor.
Telehealth has improved global healthcare. With telehealth, there is more accessibility than before. It implies being accessible and connected with the patient at the time and place of their choice rather than adjusting all appointments in the office schedule. This has cut back the missed appointments and no-shows directly.
Many counseling clinics are adopting a hybrid approach mixing in-person care with telehealth. Some are creating new workloads so that providers mix office time and work from home, and they are also hiring human resources to handle online services.