Mental Health Therapy In-Person vs Telehealth

Mona Ruback/CSS
Associated Billing Center, LLC
Exclusively Serving Mental Health Practices Web: mentalhealthbillers.com 732-251-4800

With the Covid-19 pandemic winding down, we frequently get calls from providers inquiring how to determine the “perfect balance” between in person therapy and telehealth. For most, the answer is a hybrid approach. Your clients’ preferences should be your GPS. A well-managed appliance store strives to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction. Your practice is similar in many ways to a retail model. Here, instead of customer satisfaction, we will refer to it as patient satisfaction. If many of your patients travel a half-hour or more, research indicates that continuing to offer telehealth works well to maintain those patients as clients.

Another area to consider is your cancellation rate. Here we look at telehealth vs. in-person cancellations. The consensus among mental health practice consultants is that canceled sessions are more prevalent for in-person sessions. Office space is another factor to consider. If your telehealth outweighs your in-person sessions by a distinctly wide margin, you will need to reevaluate your rental space decision.

Finally, consider your own preferences. Do you prefer the intimacy of connecting with clients in your office versus using technology? Reminder: Your own comfort is important. A therapist’s comfort directly impacts their ability to provide effective and empathetic care to their clients.

Disclaimer: Please note: The editorial content of this page is in no way intended to be professional advice. It should be considered informational and a venue for entertainment purposes. Read and utilize it at your own discretion. Content may not be published without the expressed consent of Associated Billing Center, LLC