Virtual mental healthcare is a bright spot 

Growth in virtual mental healthcare is part of a larger trend: Employers are adding many types of virtual healthcare solutions to their programs, and utilization rates for traditional telemedicine have jumped since the pandemic began. At the same time, the demand for mental healthcare is growing. More than ever before, employers view supporting the mental, emotional and behavioral health of employees as a business imperative – especially given that “burnout” is one of the top three reasons employees consider leaving their jobs.

A Mercer survey of more than 700 organizations conducted earlier this year that focused on strategies for 2023 asked about actions employers would take to provide greater support for behavioral health. Over half (52%) of large survey respondents say employees will have access to virtual behavioral healthcare in 2023.

Even before the pandemic, there was a shortage of mental health providers and that has not changed. What has changed is the explosion of virtual mental healthcare as an alternative to in-person care. Being able to receive care in the privacy of one’s home – and saving the time and cost of traveling to a physical office – is a game-changer for many people.

People’s willingness to use virtual mental healthcare is demonstrated by an analysis of data in MercerFOCUS, which warehouses the claims of over 1 million health plan members. There was a substantial increase in the number of people accessing outpatient behavioral health services in 2021, from 73 members per 1,000 to 83. Notably, virtual mental health visits – essentially non-existent prior to the pandemic – were utilized by 39 members per 1,000, suggesting that the availability of this option resulted in more people getting mental health support.

It is encouraging that so many employers have prioritized mental health in their health program strategies – not just at the benefit level but in an organization’s culture as well. In a Mercer survey conducted earlier this year, more than a third of large employers are training managers to recognize behavioral health issues and direct employees to existing resources. Ideally, behavioral healthcare will become an integrated, essential part of healthcare, in which an anxiety disorder or burnout is easily identified and addressed – and without stigma.