Telehealth: The Rise of Online Health Care

Take a second and think about the world we live in today in comparison to what it was like 10 or 15 years ago. 

For the majority, most things are still the same – there hasn’t been an alien invasion or an apocalypse or anything dramatic that has vastly changed life as we know it. For the most part the way we go about our lives in 2019 is hardly any different then it was 2009.  If there was one glaring difference in day to day life that one could point to, however, the obvious change is the advancement of technology. In this day and age, we have become a custom to having everything at our fingertips, more so than ever. Almost anything you need can be ordered online and have it at your doorstep in days’ time, rideshare apps can take you anywhere you need to go, you can order your Starbucks coffee from their mobile app, there are even mobile companies designed for someone to walk your dog or buy your groceries. Nearly every aspect of daily life is being streamlined digitally. 

This development of this new world we live in was elevated with the generation that that was raised in it - Gen Y, better known as Millennials. Seeing as though Millennials now account for the largest generation in the US workforce, it’s only logical that this digital revolution would expand to all sectors and industries. As it turns out, even healthcare is no exception. In recent years there has been an upwelling of what is being called telehealth or telemedicine in which health related services are being offered electronically. Now of course a mobile app is going to magically fix a broken arm, but there are a lot of different ways telehealth is being effectively utilized, and perhaps none more so then teletherapy. 

​Teletherapy, a form of telehealth, offers online counseling with licensed therapists via phone, webcam, email or text message and it is becoming an increasingly popular option for employees who are dealing with mental issues or, even more commonly, work-related burnout. In fact, according to a 2018 study conducted by Deloitte, a staggering 77% of respondents reported experiencing employee burnout at their current job. If we connect the dots, the vast majority of employees experience workplace burnout, the majority of the workforce consist of Millennials, and Millennials are digital natives who are drawn to and most comfortable with using online apps and services. By using that logic, it would only seem natural that there would be an influx of employees looking to use teletherapy as a tool to help cope with work fatigue and mental health issues. Not only is teletherapy less time consuming and efficient in comparison to making an appointment and visiting a counselor face-to-face, but it is typically less expensive as well. In addition to it being more flexible and affordable, the belief is that because millennials are used to communicating via mobile device, it appears to be easier for them to open up this way, especially when sharing more personal information.

​Employees aren’t the only ones who are realizing the potential benefits of telehealth. As healthcare costs keep skyrocketing, employers too are always looking for cost effective options to ensure their employees are able to receive the medical and mental health assistance that they need. As the telemedicine trend continues to grow, more and more employers and brokers are looking for health care insurance plans that either have telehealth or cover online health sessions as if they were normal doctor visits. Some employers have even gone as far as offering their own teletherapy programs in hopes that employees can utilize it to cope with stress in the workplace and employee burnout, as well as any other mental issues that might be impacting their performance. There are still a number of kinks being worked out, since rules and regulations for providing telehealth vary by state and insurance carriers are still trying to figure out which providers are legitimate, but all things considered look for the telehealth industry to continue to grow in the coming years. 

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