Telehealth company looks to fill mental health provider gap
WCAX
More than 36 percent of Vermont adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression in February 2021, according to a snapshot from the National Alliance of Mental Health. But with a shortage of practitioners, one new telehealth company is hoping to fill those gaps.
“People having to wait three, six, sometimes even eight months just to have an initial appointment. And, you know, a crisis waits for no one,” said Tiney Ray the founder of Telemedicine Essentials of America.
Ray worked as a nurse practitioner for years in Vermont and is now fronting an effort to improve mental health care accessibility across the state through telehealth. “If we have resources out here in the community to check in on people who are struggling and give them that support frequently, our goal is to minimize their utilization in emergency rooms,” Ray said.
Part of the issue for health care across a rural state like Vermont is that people can’t drive long hours just for one checkup or visit. “Telehealth allows our community members to receive care from the comfort of their homes, eliminating travel time and the need for transportation, thus making appointments more accessible,” said Vermont Department of Mental Health Deputy Commissioner Samantha Sweet.