Telehealth is now a mature, well-established part of behavioral health and addiction treatment care — but the regulatory landscape and client expectations around it have shifted considerably since telehealth first went mainstream. Whether you’re launching a new telehealth program or refining an existing one, here are seven best practices to follow in 2026.
1. Set a Goal for Your Telehealth Program
Think about how you want telehealth to benefit your practice and clients. Set specific goals and measurements of success. Your goals may involve revenue, client satisfaction or retention, reducing cancellations, or reaching clients in underserved areas.
2. Keep All Team Members Involved in Your Telehealth Solution
All behavioral health staff should understand the telehealth workflow and know how to use the software. If possible, run a pilot program to help train clinicians and staff on the telehealth solution, so any gaps in the workflow are corrected before clients begin using it.
3. Partner with the Appropriate Vendor
Your telehealth vendor should have experience with behavioral health and its specific privacy requirements. Look for a solution that integrates directly with your EHR for scheduling, billing, and clinical documentation, rather than operating as a disconnected standalone tool. BestNotes integrates directly with Zoom for telehealth, supporting sessions and groups up to 50 participants within the same platform used for clinical documentation and scheduling.
4. Stay Current on Federal and State Requirements
Telehealth regulation has continued to evolve well past the early pandemic-era flexibilities. As of 2026, behavioral health organizations need to track several active requirements:
- Medicare’s in-person visit rule: an in-person visit is required within six months before a patient’s first telehealth behavioral health session, with at least one in-person visit every 12 months for ongoing telehealth patients. Missing this results in automatic claim denials.
- Controlled substance prescribing: federal flexibilities allowing MAT prescribing (including buprenorphine) via telehealth without an initial in-person visit remain in effect through December 31, 2026 — but this is an extension, not a permanent rule.
- State-level variation: Medicaid reimbursement, audio-only coverage, and cross-state licensure requirements differ significantly by state.
Consult an experienced healthcare attorney to confirm your program meets current federal and state requirements, and check the American Telemedicine Association for ongoing policy updates.
5. Consider Pre-Screening Clients Before Their First Telehealth Visit
Telehealth offers real benefits for both providers and clients, but it isn’t the right fit for every situation. Evaluate clients before their first telehealth visit to determine whether they’d be better served with an in-person appointment, particularly for higher-acuity presentations.
6. Market Your Telehealth Services to Clients and Your Community
Some clients may be hesitant to use telehealth, while others prefer it. Either way, make sure clients know remote visits are an option:
- Update your website with telehealth information
- Send email announcements
- Post signage in the office
- Send messages through patient portals
- Include information in intake materials
7. Maintain Strong Communication with Clients
Understand how to convey empathy on-screen, including maintaining a professional appearance during every telehealth visit. Your physical space should be secure, well-lit, and free of clutter or distractions.
Test and maintain your equipment — camera, microphone, and internet connection — before every session to minimize disruptions, and review the client’s chart and history ahead of time so the visit itself stays focused on care rather than catching up.
BestNotes EHR supports behavioral health organizations running telehealth programs through native Zoom integration built into the same platform used for scheduling, documentation, and billing. Contact us today to learn more.
Last updated: July 2026
