Did your behavioral health practice recently launch telehealth services? As more behavioral health or addiction treatment locations resume in-person visits, it is important to continue to address the needs of clients who still prefer remote options.
Here’s how you can market your behavioral health practice and remind clients, both new and existing, that telehealth services remain available.
Ask some key questions for your marketing strategy.
Every community is different, so be prepared to tailor your marketing strategy to address local needs. Ask yourself some of these questions:
- What are the best communication channels for reaching clients? Are they more traditional, such as newspapers and radio, or digital, like social media?
- What potential partners, like social service agencies or emergency physicians, could help you reach new clients?
- If you have staff, how can they refer clients to your telehealth services?
- What telehealth benefits would most attract your ideal clients?
Update all online and offline materials.
Your website, social media pages, emails, and other digital marketing materials should inform clients and potential clients that you are still offering telehealth services. In many cases, a simple sentence like “Online sessions now available,” clearly displayed, is enough.
Put up posters and signs in your office, especially the registration or waiting areas, to let visitors know that remote visits are an option. If you offer pamphlets and other “take-away” materials, make sure they also mention your telehealth features.
Inform clients verbally.
Demand for mental health services continues to increase after COVID-19. As your practice grows, new clients may not always be aware of telehealth options.
When making their first appointment, you may ask clients if they are interested in a remote visit. Do the same thing if a current client needs to cancel or rebook an appointment, or at the end of an in-office visit.
Develop a post-COVID telehealth plan.
Eventually, we will be able to put the COVID-19 public emergency behind us. This means you should establish a long-term, post-COVID plan for your telehealth program.
Under this plan, you should aim to create the best user experience by going above and beyond the bare minimum of telehealth services.
- Consider offering additional telehealth services, such as client education and remote monitoring. Include these services in your marketing.
- Focus on delivering an optimal telehealth experience for clients and partners, including increased bandwidth to reduce technical problems.
- Take all necessary steps to protect and back up health information.
Stay up-to-date on telehealth policy and practices.
By following national updates and best practices for telehealth policy, you can be better prepared to respond to changes and overcome challenges. This will keep clients informed, increasing their satisfaction, and help your practice stay competitive.
Some helpful resources include:
- Federal guidance for telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic, including relaxed HIPAA requirements
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services List of Telehealth Services that can be provided remotely
- The Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center’s series of videos specifically for behavioral health providers offering telehealth
- Find regional help, including Telehealth Resource Centers (TRCs), through the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC)
Whether you are launching or continuing your telehealth services, your EHR software should support your practice. BestNotes EHR solutions have been developed specifically for behavioral health and addiction treatment providers, with support for many low-cost telehealth options. Contact us today to learn more, or schedule a free demo.