How Behavioral Health Telehealth Is Reducing ED Wait Times

When someone experiences a mental health issue, timely care plays an essential role in relieving symptoms and preventing serious consequences. Unfortunately, data show emergency departments (EDs) across the country are overwhelmed with patients seeking all types of medical care, leading to extremely long wait times.

The good news: Telehealth is addressing this challenge by providing rapid access to care that can be accessed anywhere there’s a secure internet connection — including your own home. 

Temika Heyward, PhD, FNP, CRNP, PMH, explains how telehealth care at Conduit Behavioral Health is helping individuals in and around Baltimore, Maryland, avoid long ED wait times while receiving personalized care tuned to their unique and urgent needs.

Faster access to behavioral health evaluations

One of the biggest causes of delays in emergency departments is the limited availability of behavioral health medical specialists. Many hospitals simply don’t have mental health providers on-site around the clock, or their behavioral health staff may be severely limited.

Telehealth bridges this gap by allowing patients to connect with licensed behavioral health professionals promptly using secure video consultations. Instead of waiting for an in-person specialist to become available at an ED, you can receive an evaluation much sooner, meaning you can receive the care you need more quickly, too.

More efficient triage and treatment planning

Triage is where the care team comes together to decide the best treatment plan for the patient. Because mental health needs can vary dramatically from one person to another, this type of individual attention is crucial. 

However, when ED resources are limited or affected by time constraints, providing that personalized level of care is especially challenging. That means the treatment you do receive may be inadequate or inappropriate for your actual needs.

Through our telehealth program, our specialists provide truly personalized care based on an in-depth evaluation and individual analysis of each patient's unique needs. Thorough assessment supports better treatment and, in turn, better outcomes.

Reduced ER “boarding” time

Boarding time refers to the amount of time you can wind up sitting around in an ED after your evaluation while you wait for additional assessments or inpatient placement. You might not have heard of boarding, but it’s actually a significant challenge in many hospitals, especially those in urban areas like Baltimore, where the demand for care is exceptionally high.

Because telehealth helps speed up mental health assessments, it can also help coordinate your follow-up care more quickly. That means instead of waiting around in the ED for an unknown number of hours, you can be safely connected with outpatient resources, crisis services, or community-based treatment programs right away. 

Less stress for patients and loved ones

Dealing with a mental health issue is certainly trying for patients, and it’s stressful for loved ones, too. Long waits in crowded EDs add to that stress, exacerbating mental health symptoms and potentially preventing people from seeking care when they need it.

By making care available at home, telehealth removes this critical barrier to treatment and helps you or your loved one receive care and attention in a comfortable, relaxing, familiar environment, without stress and anxiety.

Prompt, compassionate care when you need it most

If you’re dealing with a mental health issue that needs prompt attention, don’t let long ED wait times hold you back from getting the care you need. To learn more about our telehealth program or to schedule a telehealth visit, contact Conduit Behavioral Health online or over the phone today.