Mimi Winsberg, the chief medical officer and co-founder of Brightside Health, a mental health-focused telemedicine company, is encouraged by the delivery of telemedicine mental health services. Winsberg’s goal is to deliver lives to individuals suffering from mild to severe depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. She also aims to treat those at high risk of suicide, as there is a shortage of mental health professionals in many communities. In fact, more than half of the counties in the United States do not have a mental health professional.
Several studies have shown that telemedicine is successful in treating patients with substance use disorders, and researchers are finding greater accuracy in telemedicine diagnosis in psychiatry and other fields. Winsberg believes that telemedicine can provide benefits by building in other capabilities that can help meet the needs of patients who can’t easily get care.
Additionally, Winsberg states that telemedicine can solve geographic problems for individuals seeking mental health care. She encourages those in distress to call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which offers free 24/7 support. The DEA has allowed telemedicine flexibility to continue at least through Her November, giving telemedicine companies like Brightside Health the opportunity to continue delivering mental health care services to those in need.