Virtual care for mind and body

Half of those living with chronic or complex illnesses are also managing mental health challenges, including 42% of people diagnosed with cancer and nearly 1 in 5 people with heart disease, health data indicates. About one-third of people diagnosed with a life-changing disease experience symptoms of depression. It’s one reason why 90% of employers increased spending on mental health in recent years — and 72% expected most or all new investments to be digital.

Not only are chronic disease and mental health intertwined in a complex cycle, but more employees than ever are dealing with mental health challenges. In fact, 81% of employees say an employer’s approach to behavioral health benefits is a key consideration when looking for work. Employers have taken notice, recognizing better mental health not only leads to less absenteeism and lower turnover, but also to building a workforce that’s more productive and happier.

One way employers are addressing the issue is by offering benefit programs that take a whole-health approach to employee benefits. Such programs include digital options that focus not only on physical symptoms and acute illness, but also emotional and mental health, the mind-body connection, patient empowerment, and preventative care.

Digital innovations for employee health

The opportunities for providing high-value virtual care to employees grow by the month. Digital health has experienced significant growth in recent years, as evidenced not just by the widespread adoption of virtual consultations, which took off during the pandemic, but also a wide array of digital solutions. These range from smart watches and wearable health tech to virtual health education, remote monitoring solutions to help manage chronic disease, tele-consultations with care specialists across the country, and much more.

At the same time, levels of concern about mental health have spiked, and surveys on the matter have surfaced some remarkable data. For instance, a recent survey indicates most physicians believe their patients’ mental health has declined in just the last year.

As concerns around employee mental health increase, innovative digital approaches that employers are adopting to strengthen employees’ mental outlook include the following:

• Virtual peer support is a digital service that allows individuals who share similar experiences, such as challenges related to mental health or illness, to connect and support each other online. Facilitated through video conferencing, text messaging or other online communication platforms, this may take the form of one-on-one interactions, group sessions or forums. Several companies have sprung up in recent years specifically to address mental health in the workplace, and larger health care payers such as Cigna, Anthem and UnitedHealthcare have started to incorporate virtual mental health support services into their coverage. Recent studies demonstrate virtual peer support strengthens employee mental health.

• Virtual second opinions are on the upswing. In medicine, second opinions provide a valuable function: They enable patients and physicians to confirm complex medical diagnoses; they help provide essential peace of mind; and they often result in treatment changes and real savings. Misdiagnosis is more common than you might think. A recent study showed that 1 in 18 people visiting the emergency department are misdiagnosed. Virtual solutions help employees who live in geographically remote areas and might otherwise have limited access to certain sorts of specialists. The best programs also include concierge services do the legwork of collecting records and organizing meetings for employees, reducing the stress that 65% of people report feeling around coordinating their own care.

• Virtual coaching to improve mental health and wellness is also expanding access to mental health care on virtual platforms. Many people are troubled with anxiety, depression and stress but may not necessarily require clinical intervention. Mental health coaching tends to occur for shorter time periods than therapy, is less focused on a patient’s past, and is more future-oriented.

Read more: Bridging America’s care gap with virtual solutions

Making the right investments for whole health

Surveys consistently emphasize the importance of mental health in keeping employees happy, productive and focused. This is especially true for people dealing with complex medical issues. Fortunately, almost 3 in 4 employees report their own employers seem more concerned about mental health today than in the past. In the last three years, the Harvard Business Review reports, “Mental health support went from a nice-to-have to a true business imperative.” As digital options for mental health care continue to expand, virtual solutions hold strong potential to provide value for employees and employers alike.

Frank McGillin is the CEO of The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic, a visionary joint venture that combines the unrivaled clinical expertise of Cleveland Clinic with Amwell’s industry-leading telehealth platform.