The American Medical Association and Manatt Health have teamed up to release a new report outlining how behavioral healthcare providers can use digital health tools and platforms to improve access and outcomes.
The American Medical Association has released a new report highlighting the value of digital health technologies in addressing the nation’s behavioral healthcare crisis.
In collaboration with Manatt Health Strategies and a group of healthcare experts, the AMA is highlighting several strategies, including telehealth and digital health tools, that it feels can improve access to behavioral healthcare services at a time when demand is high and care providers are in short supply.
“The demand for behavioral health services is significant and rising, but so is the potential for digital technology to support the integrated delivery of physical and behavioral health services,” AMA President Gerald Harmon, MD, said in a press release. “The AMA is committed to accessible and equitable treatment for behavioral and physical health needs, and appropriate use of digital health technology can drive behavioral health integration, particularly at time of increased psychological distress and trauma.”
The report, titled “Accelerating and Enhancing Behavioral Health Integration Through Digitally Enables Care: Opportunities and Challenges,” examines how technology platforms can be used alone and in hybrid models of care to enhance access and improve treatment outcomes. It also lays out the benefits for a wide range of stakeholders, including providers, health plans, policymakers, employers, and privately or publicly funded behavioral health companies.
Finally, the report lays out a value framework for introducing or integrating digital health platforms and tools, a model that the AMA has been highlighting recently through its “Return on Health” campaign for healthcare organizations.
Eric Wicklund is the associate content manager and senior editor for Innovation at HealthLeaders.