On Thursday Amwell announced the launch of its new evidence-based and scalable behavioral health technology.

WHY IT MATTERS
The Amwell Comprehensive Behavioral Health Program is built using digital cognitive behavioral health programs of SilverCloud Health with virtual care provided by therapists and psychiatrists from Amwell clinical partner, Amwell Medical Group.

Amwell says the telehealth program, designed in part to help address the ongoing clinician shortage, can be tailored to meet the needs of different patients across the care continuum. Some 60% of U.S. counties do not have a single psychiatrist within their borders, the company notes.

The program enables healthcare organizations to offer virtual therapy and psychiatry, coaching, and digital mental health programs. They can, the company claims, present personalized experiences to address various severities and preferences in care delivery.

Along with individual evaluations, patients can receive self-guided and coach-supported care, company officials say, and easily be referred into virtual therapy and psychiatry as needed.

The new program builds on Amwell's suite of behavioral health tools, such as the SilverCloud Health Family Support Suite, which is designed to help manage mental health concerns for new parents, teenagers and children, and Amwell Psychiatric Care, which offers acute psychiatric care and psychiatric clinical support in the emergency department.

THE LARGER TREND
The new virtual care program builds on Amwell's July 2021 acquisition of SilverCloud Health, whose digital cognitive behavioral health programs are used by more than 300 organizations, including Kaiser-Permanente, Optum and Providence Health.

Earlier this year, SilverCloud unveiled a six-course program suite at HIMSS22 featuring content, interactive tools and videos aimed at addressing family mental health, developed in response to needs from the pandemic and other recent global events.

Amwell cites research indicating that 41% of adults reported anxiety or depression symptoms during the pandemic. It also points to some recent studies that show the promise and clinical validity of internet-based cognitive behavioral health.

ON THE RECORD
"Increased demand for behavioral healthcare and a growing shortage of clinicians is resulting in a crisis that is driving worse outcomes and higher costs for the entire healthcare industry," said Amwell chairman and CEO Dr. Ido Schoenberg in a statement.

"This new program meaningfully expands our digital care-delivery infrastructure and enhances our ability to accelerate our customers' goals to meet the needs of their patients and members, while enabling them to close important gaps in care," he said. "Scalable across large networks, the program provides access to much needed behavioral healthcare across in person, virtual and automated care settings."

Twitter: @MikeMiliardHITN
Email the writer: mike.miliard@himssmedia.com
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