How to Deal With Amplified Holiday Depression During COVID-19

The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy, but for many people the holiday season is a time of sadness and loneliness. With the isolation, health concerns, and financial challenges brought by COVID-19, mental health professionals expect holiday depression to be much worse this season.

“There is a greater degree and intensity of anxiety, stress, and depression because of the pandemic,” says Thomas Milam, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer of Iris Telehealth.

“Those who were previously struggling with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse are especially vulnerable at this time,” he says. “We don’t do well when we’re alone and suffering from depression and anxiety, so the isolation to prevent the spread of COVID-19 makes depression more difficult.”

For those who have lost jobs, the pandemic’s financial strain is also contributing to stress and anxiety. “I have admitted people to the hospital who are suicidal because they are tired of the stress of COVID, and tired of the financial pressure on their family without seeing an end in sight. They feel helpless about being able to do anything about it,” Dr. Milam says.

Chronic stress makes certain health conditions, including high blood pressure and diabetes, worse because of the inflammatory chemicals produced by the brain when we are stressed that circulate throughout the body.

How You Can Cope with Added Stress this Holiday Season

Dr. Milam has witnessed resilience on the part of patients and their families who have adapted to their situation. Many have been using video platforms, such as Zoom and FaceTime, to keep in touch. He notes that with the upcoming COVID-19 vaccines, there is reason for optimism that 2021 will be a better year.

In the meantime, Dr. Milam offers these tips for coping with the current impact of COVID-19 and holiday-related stress:

  • It’s okay to “own” your stress. You don’t need to be stoic or pretend everything is fine. Expressing your feelings with family and friends is especially important during times like these.
  • Make an effort to connect with people via phone or text to find out how they are doing.
  • Don’t abandon healthy habits. Exercise helps. Take a walk outside. Do some stretching or find online classes such as yoga. Eat healthier foods, including fruit and vegetables.
  • Take slow, deep breaths three times each day to increase your feelings of well-being. Also, listening to music, meditation and prayer can be helpful.
  • Try to make someone else’s day brighter with a small act of kindness or a compliment. Doing something positive can help you feel better.
  • Avoid excessive news and social media that increase your stress and worry.
  • Be careful about alcohol use, substance abuse, and long-term anti-anxiety medications. Prescriptions for anti-anxiety drugs such as benzodiazepines have increased by 30 percent since the start of the pandemic. For short-term use, they are fine, but they can be habit-forming when taken long-term.
  • Seek professional help if needed. Symptoms of depression include lack of energy, trouble sleeping or concentrating, and having little interest in things you normally enjoy. If those feelings persist for more than two weeks, it’s wise to seek help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is open 24/7 for anyone in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

Tips for Helping Children

Children also may be experiencing anxiety. Symptoms include irritability, wanting to be held more than usual, or having stomach discomfort or headaches.

Dr. Milam offers these tips for reducing anxiety among children:

  • Encourage children to express how they’re feeling.
  • Reassure them that things will be okay.
  • Maintain routines and keep to everyday schedules, such as eating and going to bed at the same time.
  • Communicate frequently. Text older children throughout the day, even when they are in the same house, and ask them how they’re doing.

People who need to be cared for by a psychiatrist often face challenges accessing that care due to the nationwide shortage of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, especially in rural areas. One bright spot from the disruption caused by COVID-19 is the dramatic rise in the use of telehealth services, which increases access to medical professionals, including psychiatrists and other mental health providers.

In data published by the Telehealth Impact Physician Survey of almost 1,600 health care professionals, more than 75 percent said that telehealth enabled them to provide quality care for patients with COVID-related mental health and other health issues.

Telepsychiatry Has Opened up a New Way of Providing Care

“With telepsychiatry, care is now patient-centric rather than clinic-centric, and studies indicate that patient satisfaction is high,” says Dr. Milam. He adds that providing patients with easier access to care also has reduced the number of emergency department visits for mental health issues.

At Iris Telehealth, we work to further increase behavioral health accessibility by connecting community mental health centers, community health centers, hospitals, and health systems with telepsychiatry providers. If you’re looking to speak with a psychiatrist via telemedicine, contact your primary care physician or your local health center. If you’re a health organization looking to expand your psychiatric services, reach out to us and we’ll get the conversation started.

5 Ways to Track Vitals Safely and Remotely

Telepsychiatry has expanded rapidly in recent years to meet the demand for psychiatric care. As patients and providers became more familiar and comfortable with the virtual care space during the public health emergency (PHE), they encountered some unanticipated hurdles. One of these hurdles was figuring out how to safely collect patients’ vital signs when they may no longer be required to go to on-site offices and clinics to receive care.

The following five points outline opportunities providers and organizations have to adjust their operations for safely and effectively collecting patients’ vital signs and other data with telehealth and remote patient monitoring.

1. Have individuals acquire their own remote patient monitoring equipment

Patients may acquire home-based remote patient monitoring equipment, such as scales and blood pressure cuffs, for personal or shared use with their families. Like a family thermometer, remote patient monitoring equipment in the home will likely become more common and affordable over time. Increasingly, the equipment has Bluetooth capabilities. Data readings can be linked to mobile devices for personal tracking. The data can then be uploaded into secure patient portals. In these portals, patient data is shared with an individual’s healthcare team.

Many local pharmacies and large retail stores now offer on-site equipment and services for patients needing home equipment to obtain accurate routine vital signs like blood pressure, pulse, and weight. This equipment is becoming increasingly available in community spaces such as schools, workplaces, and local community and public health centers.

As smartwatches and fitness tracking devices continue to increase in popularity, many of these wearables can also be used for telehealth and remote patient monitoring devices, involving minimal restrictions or impact on a person’s lifestyle. From wristbands and armbands to chest straps, patches, and clothing-based monitors, these devices offer the potential for more regular and consistent readings of many vital signs throughout the day and night. Some devices even track heart rhythms as long as the devices are worn and powered up.

2. Purchase and send equipment to patients

While store-bought equipment like digital thermometers, blood pressure cuffs, and diabetes monitoring equipment have become more accurate, reliable, and affordable, they are generally not cheap. While patients with Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSAs) can increasingly use those funds to purchase remote patient monitoring equipment, some clinics have found grants to support purchasing and mailing remote patient monitoring equipment for patients to use at home.

This option increases the accessibility and affordability of the equipment for patients, particularly those who the pandemic and inflation have financially impacted.. Such equipment may require ongoing updates, upgrades, or servicing to maintain accurate readings, so it is important for patients and their healthcare teams to understand and comply with all the terms of use of any equipment used for remote patient monitoring purposes.

3. Extend times between patients for in-office vitals

In locations where clinic offices are open and staffed, before and after normal office hours, patients can have their vitals taken in the office on a “drop-in” or “drive-by” basis. Patients should ask their healthcare providers if these options are available at their local clinic, and discuss the frequency and type of services that would best meet their patient’s healthcare needs and goals.

4. Utilize information from other providers

Coordinating patient care with other providers at different healthcare sites can be challenging. Still, increasingly Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and EHR-based patient portals can promote effective and HIPAA-compliant sharing of important health information such as routine vital signs, glucose monitoring, and other important patient health data.

Suppose patients are seeing different providers or specialists in other locations. In that case, even if those visits are conducted remotely, the patient should ask the clinic staff how their vital signs, and other health information, can be safely shared with their other healthcare providers. Sometimes this request is as simple as signing a Release of Information to allow secure data sharing between providers.

5. Adjust requirements and expectations for vital signs

In the past, it has been reasonable to expect vital sign checks every visit for every patient, especially for patients seeking care for physical health issues. As hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers and their staff continue to adjust their workflows to include remote patient monitoring, telehealth, and “hospital-at-home” models, expectations for patients and providers also need to evolve.

Providers should carefully consider which patients it is medically necessary to obtain vitals from and at what frequency. This consideration is critical since getting this information from every patient on every visit is much more challenging in a telehealth setting.

Empowering patients to be informed and involved in their ongoing healthcare decision-making and workflows, including vitals management, is critical to meeting the demands of patients, providers, and healthcare organizations.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can incorporate telehealth and remote patient monitoring into your behavioral health approach, contact us today. We’d love to chat through your options and help you determine the best steps forward in achieving the best patient care possible.

What Is The Best Telemedicine Company For Behavioral Health

If you’re a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner, you might recently have started looking for work in telemedicine, a growing industry in the world of mental health and medicine.

But how exactly do you decide which telemedicine company is best for you? In this article, we’ll highlight the most important features to look for when searching for a job in behavioral health telemedicine.

Key Features When Choosing Your Telemedicine Company

Telemedicine is a way of providing specific health care services using technology, such as videoconferencing. Telepsychiatry is a type of telemedicine that involves services ranging from psychiatric evaluations, therapy (both individual and group), patient education, and medication management. Essentially, a telepsychiatry session is identical to that of a conventional in-person interview – Doctors work with patients to identify issues, develop a treatment plan, and can prescribe medication when necessary, all through videoconferencing.

The best telemedicine company to work for in mental/behavioral health will:

Provide 24/7 On-Call Services

Your telemedicine company should offer care to an organization’s clients both during scheduled times in the outpatient setting and as needed in a hospital setting, giving you more flexibility to work the hours that are most conducive to your lifestyle. It also enables patients to receive the care they need, when they need it.

Be Psychiatrist-Owned and Operated

The best telemedicine company should have an intimate, expert understanding of clinical practice. This can largely be accomplished when the company is owned and operated by licensed psychiatrists who are familiar with the optimal workflows for patient care and understand how to advocate for your needs as an employee.

Incorporate Work, Life, Balance

Achieving that perfect balance between your work and other aspects of your life should be easy when working for the best telepsychiatry company – You should be able to live life on your terms, rather than have your life be dictated by a rigid schedule.

Utilize HIPAA Compliant Technology

Top-tier telepsychiatrist providers should consult with their organizations to set up HIPAA-compliant technology. Alternatively, they should integrate with any pre-existing technology an organization has in place. And perhaps most importantly, technicians should always be available if you need troubleshooting advice while working with a patient.

Provide Paid Time Off and Benefits

Receiving paid time off and benefits are important at any job – and telepsychiatry is no exception. At Iris Telehealth, we provide five weeks of paid vacation (including holidays). You can also enroll in health benefits, life insurance, and a 401k.

Offers Extra Perks

Because who doesn’t love getting some added perks with their job? The best telemedicine company for behavioral health should provide you with support and resources ranging from equipment, 24/7 tech support, office expense reimbursement, CME credit and malpractice insurance.

Stays Up To Date On Policies

Each state has its own rules, regulations, and restrictions to providing care through telehealth. Your telepsychiatry company should stay up-to-date on all these policies and advise you on compliance with all federal and state rules on telemedicine.

Improve Patient Outcomes

One of the most important features of a telemedicine company for behavioral health is that they improve patient outcomes by optimizing technology for patient experience, provider ease, and reliable administrative workflows.

6 Marketing Tips for Community Mental Health Centers as Pandemic Continues

While experts continue to seek effective treatment and vaccine options for the ongoing COVID-19 virus, mental health care providers face another side of this worldwide phenomenon: the unforeseen and widespread impacts on individual and community mental health and well-being.

From anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder to substance abuse and suicidal ideation, mental health disturbances ranging from mild to severe are on the rise, according to various studies, surveys, and data from experts and national health organizations.

The mental health services your clinic and providers offer are not just more in demand but also vital to a more holistic recovery from today’s public health crisis. The question then is, how do you reach and connect with these individuals in need of the mental healthcare you provide?

As the nature of individuals’ routines continues to shift and adapt to the current pandemic reality, so too have communication and marketing strategies shifted in response. Even with limited staffing, time, or financial resources for marketing, these six tips can help you get the word out to your patients about your availability for in-person and telehealth visits.

1. Purchase targeted Facebook ads

Perhaps now more than ever, social media is pervasive in the way people today are communicating and finding information, including about mental health. As a more specific strategy, targeted ads on Facebook, for example, enable your clinic to hone in on particular attributes or demographics, such as age range or location, of individuals who may benefit from your services.

2. Optimize website for SEO

In addition to social media, appearing in local web searches for mental health services (or any services that you provide) is key to successful marketing during the current pandemic. Optimizing your website for SEO can boost your search rankings and make it easier for people to find your clinic and providers when searching for your types of services.

This could include creating content relevant to your area if your team has the resources. It could also mean easier fixes such as updating meta descriptions and title tags, either manually or using plug-ins like Yoast SEO for WordPress.

3. Use text messaging-based marketing

Today, many EMR/EHR options enable text message or SMS-based communication with patients. This connectivity, often used for appointment or refill reminders, could also become a way to regularly check in with patients, letting them know your clinic and providers are available to them and their loved ones during these challenging times.

4. Send out an email newsletter

Another way to stay more directly connected with patients is to distribute an email newsletter. The length and types of content in this newsletter can vary based on your resources, but potential topics might include mental health tips, updates on the latest news from the CDC, or virtual events, such as group discussions or informational sessions, to keep people engaged.

This helps keep your clinic top of mind when your patients or readers of your newsletter, their family member, or friend experiences behavioral health problems, which is all the more likely as the pandemic continues. Services like MailChimp offer free and inexpensive solutions that are easy for businesses to set up for regular distribution, such as monthly or weekly.

5. Create original and engaging images

From memes and blog post images to direct mailers and brochures, many marketing options use strong visual components to leave a lasting impression of your clinic and providers with potential patients. Apps and web-based services like Canva offer inexpensive and user-friendly access to templates and other tools to help your clinic create eye-catching images for your digital and print marketing materials.

6. Distribute flyers

In addition to creating images, your team could also design and print flyers advertising your clinic and the services you provide. You can then distribute these one-page flyers to local businesses, schools, community centers, pediatricians’ offices, and other areas where patients may seek information about such services.

While this list might be a little overwhelming, try 1-2 tactics/week to see what garners the best results. Now, more than ever, it’s imperative that your community knows the services you provide are available to them.

Long-Term Effects of Fear and Isolation Are Expected to Escalate

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll reported that nearly half (45%) of adults in the United States said that their mental health had been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over COVID-19 and the resulting quarantine. The CDC also recently reported that 25.5% of 18-24-year-olds surveyed had seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days.

Everyone has been affected, some more than the others.

These groups are often at the most significant risk of adverse emotional impact.

  • High-risk individuals, including the elderly, immunocompromised, and those in group housing, are vulnerable to fear-induced anxiety.
  • People with pre-existing physical or mental health diagnoses are at risk of increased stress-related consequences.
  • Medical providers worry about becoming sick themselves or infecting family members. Potential shortages of equipment, long hours, and the emotional toll of constant decision making add to their pressure.

Many people face the stress of being quarantined, caring for children without the usual resources, and the threat of unemployment.

Emotional outcomes include anxiety, depression, irritability, insomnia, fear, confusion, anger, and boredom. These stressors can lead to domestic violence, substance abuse, and if untreated, even death.

It is Time to Rethink Health Care Delivery

Telehealth can help manage the looming demands for mental health treatment. Traditionally, patients with physical complaints were sent to their primary care physicians. At the same time, those with suspected mental health issues were funneled to psychologists and psychiatrists.

The options for segregated care are more limited now. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD are frequently present, including diabetes, cardiopulmonary issues, and chronic pain.

In-person visits are limited, and accessing mental health services is even harder for people in lower socioeconomic classes.

COVID-19 Created the Impetus for Innovation

As healthcare professionals, we must push to make programs and resources available to meet this challenge.

The United States needs to move to implement a strategy to deal with the looming crisis in mental health. If we wait any longer, it will be too late.

In March, we all read about the shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), putting healthcare workers at risk and potentially preventing needed patient care.

Mental health is the next crisis. The shortages of mental health care are going to escalate problems and deaths of desperation.

What Needs to Happen Now?

  • This crisis is allowing mental health providers to access a new paradigm through technology. To create a new definition of what it means for a patient to see their provider.
  • A massive public information campaign must be quickly implemented to make it easier for people to find mental health services.
  • Clinics and providers must leverage telehealth technology to provide innovative and compassionate solutions.

Our professional responsibility is to enhance psychological resilience in healthy people and provide the most vulnerable access to the mental health services they need.

Innovative clinics, such as Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC), are expanding telemedicine services to reach more clients and have seen a 20% increase in client visits since the pandemic started. Their experience was featured in a recent Maine news story.

Ellen Bemis, AMHC CEO, explained, “It can be a challenge to recruit psychiatrists to rural areas such as ours. By offering the service remotely, we help ensure our community members receive the support they need. Iris Telehealth has been an important part of our ability to adapt quickly to the changes that occurred with the pandemic.”

Post-Coronavirus Healthcare Will Include More Technology

Services need to become more available to all members of society, saving money and, more importantly, human suffering.

  • Students to grandparents have become more familiar with the advantages of teleconference platforms during the pandemic.
  • Primary care physicians see more patients. Telehealth makes it possible to consult with remotely located mental health providers, as needed.
  • A truly bright spot in the pandemic gloom is the increased access to telepsychiatry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severe implications for individual and collective health and emotional well-being. Healthcare providers have a primary role in not only medical care but in supporting their community’s psychosocial needs and delivering mental health care to the public.

If you would like more information on how telepsychiatry can help meet your behavioral health needs, please reach out to us on our website. Be well.

Black Lives Matter | Here’s How You Can Support

This blog is solely dedicated to BLM and the support and actions we all can take to help end the injustice. The black box image is in reference to last Tuesday’s #blackouttuesday social media movement. You can learn more about it here.

The inequality issue in our world is not new, has gone on for way too long, and needs to be reformed now. George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor were innocent individuals murdered by police officers because of their skin color.

2020 must be the year we become honest with ourselves, acknowledge systemic racism, vote locally and nationally, and implement changes toward justice. Enough is enough. Black Lives Matter.

We admit – we don’t have all the answers. However, we have provided resources below for individuals to educate themselves and donate to this cause. We will also continue to process, listen, and work to do our part to end this injustice.

Systemic Racism Explained

Places to Donate

Color of Change

https://colorofchange.org/
 

Black Visions Collective

https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/

(scroll down to the bottom to donate)

George Floyd Memorial Fund

https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
 

Campaign Zero

https://www.joincampaignzero.org/
 

LGBTQ | Freedom Fund

https://www.lgbtqfund.org/donate-1
 

Minnesota Freedom Fund

They are no longer taking donations, as they’ve received enough resources now, however; they mention other great organizations: https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/donate

No Money? No Problem.

Zoe Amira | Views For A Vision

Watch this video and let the ads run. 100% of the revenue collected from the ads is donated to various organizations in support of BLM. Please be sure to read the pinned comment and the beginning of the clip, to learn how you must engage with the video for the ads to monetize: https://youtu.be/bCgLa25fDHM

Petitions To Sign

Visit the below websites to sign the latest petitions.

Change.org

Justice for George Floyd

Justice for Breonna Taylor

Justice for Ahmaud Arbery

The Action PAC

Justice for Ahmaud Arbery

Justice for Big Floyd

Stand With Bre

Please keep in mind this is an example list. There are plenty of other petitions to sign and research about. The two above organizations are great for periodically checking new actions to take.

Support Businesses

Black Owned Businesses in Austin

Austin Monthly Article

Small Businesses Everywhere

Instagram Post of List

Actions to Take

Campaigns and other actions you can take. 

8CANTWAIT

Campaign Zero – contact your mayor or sheriff to implement 8 polices that can significantly decrease police violence.

https://8cantwait.org/

Take Your City Budget Survey

Austin, TX Survey

Send An Email To Your District Representative

Send An Email to Your City Council Members

Email Template For Austin, TX made by Afterglow 

Register To Vote!

https://vote.gov/

Mental Health Resources

All resources received from Ethel’s Club Social Media Post

  • Dive in Well
  • Sista Afya
  • Therapy for Black Girls
  • Healhaus
  • Inclusive Therapists
  • Ethel’s Club
  • The Nap Ministry
  • National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
  • Harriet’s Apothecary
  • The Unplug Collective
  • BEAM Collective
  • Black Girl in Om

View the rest of the post here: Mental Health Resources

Educate

Listen, learn, and educate.

Films

  • Explained: The Racial Wealth Gap
  • Time: The Kalief Browder Story
  • When They See Us
  • 13th

Books

  • The End of Policing | Alex S. Vitale (Ebook is free now on versobooks)
  • White Fragility | Robin Diangelo
  • The Fire Next Time | James Baldwin
  • How To Be An Antiracist | Ibrahim X. Kendi
  • Black Feminist Thought | Patricia Hill Collins
  • Sister Outsider | Audre Lorde

Organizations

  • Color of Change
  • NAACP
  • Antiracist Research and Policy Center
  • United We Dream

Dialogue

Engage with diverse individuals and listen with an open mind. Have the tough conversations, and spread the knowledge.

We hope 2020 becomes the year that significant change is made. Neutrality is not enough. Please join us in this fight for a fair and equal world.

Telehealth Update on Reimbursable Services & Telephone Billing Codes

The pandemic has brought new and creative ways to utilize telehealth for individuals who require medical services. As the health industry continues to evolve, legislation is quickly catching up with frequent updates on new billing codes, audio-only visits, and telehealth services made reimbursable. To help healthcare leaders and providers remain up-to-date with these constant changes, our wonderful team members, Annie and Tom, share their insights on telehealth and telephone service changes during COVID-19.

As intriguing and exciting as telephone billing codes and lists of reimbursable telehealth services are to read, we’ve decided to condense down the information into a more digestible format.

Telehealth Services Added During COVID-19

In this video, Annie Walls, our Licensing & Credentialing Manager, created a list of telehealth services reimbursable by Medicare. Annie walks us through how to decipher the below PDF.

 

Read our PDF here: Iris CMS Telehealth Services List

The PDF lists the respective codes and descriptors for each telehealth service added during COVID-19. It also specifies whether this will be a temporary addition to the list or will remain in effect post-COVID-19. For those interested in audio-only technology, the PDF indicates which services are eligible to be reimbursed.

Billing for Telephone Services

In this video, Dr. Tom Milam, our Chief Medical Officer, shares with us new billing codes for telephone services as of April 30th, 2020. In the video, Tom references three telephone billing codes from the below PDF.

Read our PDF here: Iris CMS Telephone Billing Guide

Upgrade in reimbursement modeling for telephone

  1. Codes can be used for established patients and new patient evaluations
  2. Reimbursement rate has increased almost three times the original rate
  3. The Provider must document verbal consent for telephone encounters indicating why audio-only was used instead of using video or conducting in-person visits


Codes are from March 1st, 2020, and now considered as telehealth services. Therefore, modifier 95 is optional to use.

We Are Here For You

As always, we at Iris are here for you and your organization for anything you may need. We are more than happy to clarify any of the above information, answer your COVID-19 or non-related pandemic questions, and set-up a meeting with you to discuss your needs for a telepsychiatry program.

To learn more about our organization and to talk directly to one of our team members, please email us atinfo@iristelehealth.com. 

Contact Us

About Iris Telehealth

Iris Telehealth is a telepsychiatry provider organization made up of the highest quality psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Our mission is to provide underserved communities with access to the best mental health specialists and prescribers. We are owned and operated by doctors who understand what patients need and have earned a reputation for providing outstanding customer service. Iris values building strong professional relationships with our partners and their staff. We are dedicated to understanding your organization’s needs and operational goals because we recognize that your success is critical to our own.

References

List of Telehealth Services. (2020, April 30). Retrieved May 07, 2020, from https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-General-Information/Telehealth/Telehealth-Codes

FCC Launches COVID-19 Telehealth Program to Support Healthcare Providers

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has affected many aspects of our everyday lives – even areas we would have never predicted could be influenced. As a result, individuals are unable to provide for themselves and their families, and businesses are struggling to keep their doors open.

To support the lives of the American people, on March 27th, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This act provides over $2 trillion in economic relief for the American people affected by COVID-19. The four main sections of support are:

  1. Assistance for American Workers and Families
  2. Assistance for Small Businesses
  3. Preserving Jobs for American Industries
  4. Assistance for State and Local Governments

To read more about the CARES Act, visit: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/cares

FCC Launches COVID-19 Telehealth Program

As a part of the CARES Act, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) initiated the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. This program provides $200 million in funding to assist health care providers transitioning care to at home and mobile visits. As of April 13th, all eligible health care providers can submit an online application to receive a portion of this funding.

This program can help fund your telecommunication services, information services, and devices necessary for continuing patient care for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations will receive funding on a first-come, first-served basis. The FCC has already begun to award funding.

To read more about organizations who have been awarded, visit: https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/fcc-announces-first-hospitals-win-covid-19-telehealth-program-funding

How to Know if You’re an Eligible Organization

The program is “limited to nonprofit and public eligible health care providers that fall within the categories of health care providers in section 254(h)(7)(B) of the 1996 Act” (FCC FAQs, Question 8). The eligible categories of health care providers include:

(1) post-secondary educational institutions offering healthcare instruction, teaching hospitals, and medical schools

(2) community health centers or health centers providing healthcare to migrants

(3) local health departments or agencies

(4) community mental health centers

(5) not-for-profit hospitals

(6) rural health clinics*

(7) skilled nursing facilities

(8) consortia of healthcare providers consisting of one or more entities falling into the first seven categories.

*Since the CARES Act authorizes the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, both rural and non-rural health clinics are eligible to receive support.

If you have more questions regarding the COVID-19 Telehealth program visit: https://www.fcc.gov/covid-19-telehealth-program-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

How to Apply

Before filling out an application, there are additional necessary steps you need to take.

1. Obtain an eligibility determination

  • Navigate to My Portal from the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)
  • Fill the FCC Form 460
  • You do not need to be a rural health care provider to file the 460
  • You can proceed to steps 2-4 while your FCC Form 460 is pending with USAC

Health care provider sites that USAC has already deemed eligible to participate in the Commission’s existing Rural Health Care (RHC) Programs may rely on that eligibility determination for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program.

2. Obtain an FCC Registration Number (FRN)

Your FRN will serve as you or your organization’s 10-digit identification number.

  • Navigate to the Commission Registration System (CORES) to create your FRN, username, and account
  • You will receive an automated email titled “FCC Account Request Verification” where you must verify your account email address before the account will be activated
  • Once logged into CORES, select “Register New FRN” or “Associate Username to FRN” as applicable
  • Provide the information as prompted, including your taxpayer identification number (TIN), and then click “Submit”
  • CORES will generate a new FRN or associate your existing FRN with its account

3. Fill out the Application

Once completing these first two steps, you are now ready to fill out the online application.

4. Register with the Federal System for Award Management (SAM)

While you do not need to be registered with the SAM prior to submission of the application, it’s strongly encouraged that you get the process completed as soon as possible.

To read more about the Telehealth Program visit: https://www.fcc.gov/covid-19-telehealth-program

We’re Here to Help

Although COVID-19 has caused panic and uncertainty, the FCC’s Telehealth Program is an exciting tool to help extend patient care. Now is the time to embrace telehealth and what it can do for our country.

While updates and changes are coming at us regularly and we are all struggling to keep up, we want to assure you that we are here for you – Now, during the rest of the pandemic, and after the chaos calms into normality.

In the next few weeks, we will begin answering all your questions pertaining to COVID-19, on our online forum page. Also, to remember to put our mental health first, our Clinical Hiring Manager and Resident Guru, Erin Schepmann, will be leading regular meditation meetups on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Use the links below to navigate to each one of these pages.

Stay well. We will get through this.

Ask us your questions

A Message on COVID-19 | Finding Hope in Chaos

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a rippling effect across our nation and around the world. Healthcare institutions and clinics of all kinds are struggling to implement appropriate safety precautions and policies that protect the safety of patients, healthcare workers, and their families. We at Iris have been working with clinics to set up video and phone visits to make sure patients with severe behavioral health disorders stay well and get access to vital treatment and medications they need.

Already, healthcare workers are facing equipment shortages and having to trust the safety of potentially reused personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce exposure. Parents and grandparents are learning to creatively manage home life while daycares and schools remain closed, and family trips cancel. Workers whose jobs are in jeopardy, or who have been laid off or terminated, are worrying about how to pay their bills and what their financial futures hold. We are all severely affected in one way or another by this current crisis.

The great humanitarian and physician, Albert Schweitzer, once wrote:

“Reverence for human suffering and human life, for the smallest and most insignificant, must be the inviolable law to rule the world from now on. In so doing, we do not replace old slogans with new ones and imagine that some good may come out of high-sounding speeches and pronouncements. We must recognize that only a deep-seated change of heart, spreading from one person to another, can achieve such a thing in this world.”

Amid all the fear and frustration expressed in phone calls, emails, web updates, and 24/7 news reports related to COVID-19, I also see evidence of the “deep-seated change of heart, spreading from one person to another,” that Dr. Schweitzer wrote about and hoped for. In the coming days, we at Iris Telehealth hope to share examples and stories which bear witness to this emerging “change of heart” by consolidating many COVID-19 updates, sharing telemedicine best practices, and posting positive and encouraging stories of hope and resilience.

We are in this together, we will get through this together, and we will come out of it better people, together. Iris Telehealth is here to support patients, clinics, and communities, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for any help or information. Stay safe.

Sincerely,

Thomas R. Milam, MD

Chief Medical Officer, Iris Telehealth

About Iris Telehealth

Iris Telehealth is a telepsychiatry provider organization made up of the highest quality psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Our mission is to provide underserved communities with access to the best mental health specialists and prescribers. We are owned and operated by doctors who understand what patients need and have earned a reputation for providing outstanding customer service. Iris values building strong professional relationships with our partners and their staff. We are dedicated to understanding your organization’s needs and operational goals because we recognize that your success is critical to our own.

5 Ways Technology Creates a Long-Term Relationship With Your Remote Psychiatrist

It’s no surprise that technology is essential for telepsychiatry. However, it’s worth exploring how to utilize it effectively for creating lasting relationships with your remote psychiatrists.

Why it’s Essential to Engage with Your Remote Psychiatrists

The Association of American Medical College (AAMC) reported there are 28,000 psychiatrists in the U.S (2018), where 60% of the U.S counties don’t have a single practicing psychiatrist (NAMI, 2017). There is an evident shortage of providers. That’s why retaining them now is more critical than ever – and we’re here to help.

Telepsychiatry has been a great option to cushion this shortage, but these remote psychiatrists are starting to become a hot commodity. Finding the best practices in engaging your remote psychiatrists with your on-site staff will reduce the headache of possibly losing a quality team member.

 

5 Ways to Create a Long-Term Relationship with Your Remote Psychiatrist

1. Engage Them in Staff Meetings & Case Reviews

Many remote providers have worked in clinics very similar to yours, which differ from their current secluded setting. Engaging them in staff meetings and case reviews can create a sense of normalcy and inclusion. Not only does this validate the provider’s opinions, but it can also help your organization receive valuable insight from an alternative perspective.

The more digital interaction the remote psychiatrists can receive with your on-site staff, the more comfortable they will be working together. It will create a greater sense of teamwork and naturally build on personal rapport. One thing we do at Iris is host digital lunch and learns with our team members where we have our medical directors and other executives talk on a desired topic. We connect on a platform called Whereby, which is a URL based video chatroom; however, any other video conferencing software works just fine.

2. Celebrate All Wins Together – Big and Small

Use a community chat channel like Slack, to celebrate and share weekly wins among the providers. You can also use this digital channel for celebrating holiday pictures, birthdays, etc. Yet, of course, allow them the option to opt-out if they would rather not participate. In these instances, the efforts in engaging your remote providers are far more appreciated than not trying at all.

3. Digital Coffee Break

We know there can be days where it’s challenging to get some personal time in. However, even on those busy days, your on-site staff can engage with monthly one-on-one digital coffee hangouts with the remote psychiatrists. They can set aside 15 minutes on their calendars and share their morning coffee or their 3rd-afternoon cup of coffee (depending on how much you need your caffeine). These quick hangouts can also allow for the remote provider to give an exciting virtual walk-through of their workspace.

You can use a platform like Skype or Whereby, as mentioned above, or something as simple as your iPhone!

4. Promoting Topical Discussions

We tend to say we don’t have enough time unless we make it. Set some time aside to have the entire medical staff discuss current issues related to psychiatry and mental health. These topical discussions promote the importance of continuing education while finding time to meet as a team.

5. Keep It Fun!

While technology helps our lives become more efficient and comfortable, it also makes things more fun! You can start incorporating memes, gifs, and funny pictures in your digital conversations. A career in medicine can be stressful, so anytime your team can alleviate some of the stress, be sure to include your remote employees within the fun conversations. After all, it was you guys who said laughter is the best medicine.

Conclusion

It’s unreasonable to expect the shortage of psychiatrists will be resolved overnight, so now it’s more critical than ever to take steps towards retaining your existing providers. Try some of the above practices in keeping your remote psychiatrists engaged and happy. Since you are already investing in different forms of digital communication, you might as well get creative with the technology for improving engagement across the board! What’s the outcome? A happy and long-term psychiatrist that is an extension of your team!

 

Citations

Mental Health By The Numbers. (2017, October). Retrieved February 6, 2020, from https://www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-by-the-numbers

Weiner, S. (2018, February 12). Addressing the escalating psychiatrist shortage. Retrieved February 6, 2020, from AAMC.org

About Iris Telehealth

Iris Telehealth is a telepsychiatry provider organization made up of the highest quality psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Our mission is to provide underserved communities with access to the best mental health specialists and prescribers. We are owned and operated by doctors who understand what patients need and have earned a reputation for providing outstanding customer service. Iris values building strong professional relationships with our partners and their staff. We are dedicated to understanding your organization’s needs and operational goals because we recognize that your success is critical to our own.