Virtual Behavioral Health Visits Improve Care Access

Behavioral healthcare is in high demand. Nearly one in five Americans have behavioral health needs, according to the American Hospital Association. And yet, fewer than 30 percent of them are receiving that care, largely because of significant care access burdens.

“Behavioral health is one of society’s most unmet needs,” said Eva Borden, managing director of behavioral and medical solutions at Cigna. “Almost half of all US adults will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, but only a fraction of these people actually gets the behavioral health help they need.”

Even if patients feel comfortable seeking care, they may not know where to begin. There are multiple types of behavioral health care patients can receive – traditional therapy, inpatient or facility-based psychiatric treatment, or medication-based treatment.

But patients often must figure this out alone.

“There’s a general lack of knowledge about who behavioral health providers are and who someone should go see,” Borden continued. “Cigna’s strategy is focused on increasing the access and availability of behavioral health care.”

Partnering with MDLIVE has allowed Cigna to provide its members with access to an online guided search tool in their patient portal, mycigna.com. The tool directs members to the best-suited provider and allows them to book virtual care appointments.

Members begin by indicating what they want to be seen for – depression, anxiety, ADHD, etc. They are then prompted to determine if they need to seek a therapist, a psychiatrist, or a mental or behavioral health facility.

The guided search culminates in a virtual visit, where Cigna plays host to a virtual provider network of over 15,000 providers. Members can decide if they want to see a provider in-person or through video conferencing.

After answering all of these questions, the member is shown a list of providers who meet their needs and their availability for appointments.

“It helps match members with providers who really meet those criteria as opposed to just giving someone a list and saying, ‘Good luck. Hope you can filter through it on your own,’” Borden emphasized.

Many members want the option of digitally interacting with their providers. Quickly scheduling appointments online and videoconferencing with a doctor is not something in the distant future but an immediate expectation many patients have.

“Rather than calling providers on the phone and trying to find and schedule appointments, there are some people who would prefer to digitally interact with seeing who’s available and schedule appointments right there on the platform,” explained Borden.

For members who might feel uncomfortable seeking treatment because of stigma, virtual appointments are a very appealing alternative to in-person visits.  

“You don’t necessarily have to drive your car and park it in the provider’s lot or leave your office or your home,” noted Borden.

The option for virtual appointments will help to improve appointment adherence, Borden pointed out, because members can have appointments in between meetings or from their couch. They are no longer waiting weeks for appointments, with a few simple clicks allowing members to identify available times and book appointments immediately.

“We want to take down as many barriers as we possibly can to accessing behavioral healthcare,” Borden stressed.

If members are still unsure who they should seek care from or are having challenges with the search, there is a chat feature on mycigna.com and an 800 number where patients can have their questions answered. 

“We have licensed behavioral clinicians who are there to help guide and direct, who can actually ask you questions, triage, and help you find the right type of provider,” Borden explained.

Educating members about this benefit begins with Cigna’s employer partners.

“These partnerships are some of the most important partnerships we have because we’re able to provide education and communication to their employees and dependents,” said Borden.

Cigna educates employers about these benefits. Then, employers can market their benefits packages to employees including these services. This is one of the biggest ways Cigna improves member awareness of the tool.

Cigna also markets to its individual members through mycigna.com. Enhancing the online experience in the past few years has made the patient portal more widely available and user-friendly.

As virtual health capabilities continue to grow, access to behavioral health will only improve.

“Oftentimes, in behavioral healthcare, virtual visits can replace brick and mortar care,” Borden concluded. “Cigna understands that driving a sustainable health care system is dependent upon addressing behavioral health needs.”