Behavioral Health Services of Greater Cleveland now offers Telehealth!
All of our counselors here at Behavioral Health Services of Greater Cleveland are now offering some level of Telehealth services. Even so, it’s important to make sure that we are a part of the health insurance plan you carry. Most health insurance companies offer a provider directory on their website. These directories make it possible for a client to search by location, specialty, languages spoken by the provider or the type of illness or condition for which they need to be seen. Health insurance companies may also offer customer service chats or phone lines so that subscribers can find out if a particular service, provider or condition is covered under their Telehealth benefits. Is important to make these calls before you engage in Telehealth services as to prevent any possible issues with coverage.
What is Telehealth?
Telehealth is the delivery of healthcare services between a provider and client who are physically distant from each other at the time of the service. Telehealth services can be delivered through different technologies, including streaming services, the internet, apps, video conferencing, and wireless and landline communications systems.
A wide range of services is available through telehealth, including identification and diagnosis of common illnesses, consultations about new symptoms and chronic disease management, triage for injuries or acute illness symptoms, and mental health therapy. Telehealth has grown in popularity over the past few years because it offers fast, easy access to clinical and non-clinical healthcare services. The COVID-19 pandemic has given a big boost to telehealth’s popularity, and insurance companies are treating these visits like they would an in-person visit at the provider’s office.
Benefits and Convenience of Telehealth Appointments
Telehealth is convenient to clients and providers. Most services allow clients to schedule appointments online. All it requires is a device with an internet connection, camera and audio. Physical location isn’t a constraint, as long as the client lives in Ohio. A person could be at home or in their workplace and have a telehealth visit. People without easy access to transportation and those who live in rural areas with few healthcare providers will have better access to care through telehealth services. When care is convenient to receive, people are more likely to seek it. This means problems can be identified earlier and before more serious complications arise.
Many telehealth providers offer flexible schedules. Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies offer coverage for telehealth services at the same level as in-person services. With no need to travel, clients may incur fewer expenses for a telehealth visit. There’s no need to take time off work or fill your gas tank with telehealth services.
Telehealth also helps reduce the spread of COVID-19. The fewer in-person events everyone goes to, the less spread there will be in the community. More telehealth visits could mean that the COVID-19 pandemic can be controlled in less time.
Reasons to Talk to Your Counselor or Intake About Telehealth Options
Many people are surprised to learn that the counselor they’ve seen for years is now offering a telehealth option. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way a lot of businesses, including healthcare providers, operate. Anyone who has trouble getting to the counselor’s office or for whom travel is uncomfortable or a hassle should ask their current provider about telehealth options. Mental health providers don’t want you to miss or skip the care you need, and telehealth services may reduce a client’s chances of canceling or not showing up.