Expanding Care Options Through Telehealth

Telehealth has become an essential part of the overall care experience and is destined to play a larger role in providing personal, accessible and coordinated care for the communities we serve.

Covid-19 provided us with many important lessons, but among the most significant for Sutter Health is how valuable expanded telehealth has been, especially for those who need mental health support.

Here are some ways that digital health is supporting early intervention and improving access to mental health support at Sutter.

• Leaning into Virtual Care: In 2021, we shifted 80% of outpatient mental health to virtual visits, improving convenience and continuity of care.

• Focusing on Youth: We launched Scout by Sutter Health™, a 12-week, non-clinical digital experience that supports everyday resilience and mental health for teens, young adults and their caregivers. No referral needed. The program served more than 2,000 youth and caregivers in its first year. Participants report a 20% improvement in self-perception of mental health after 12 weeks.
• Launching Telepsychiatry: More than 25,000 patients have benefited from improved workflow and timely access to care since 2017.

“Particularly in challenging times, patients benefit from consistency in their mental health services, and care continuity helps patients improve their health and graduate from care sooner” said Tam Nguyen, Ph.D., director of Ambulatory Care, Sutter Mental Health & Addiction Care. “Expanding our care options through telehealth meets the needs of our patients where and when they need it. It is my hope that telemedicine will continue to be an integral part of healthcare.”

Mental Health is Human Health

At Sutter Health, we believe mental health is human health. We commit to seeing the whole person, integrating physical and mental health services across each patient’s lifespan. We recognize that total care is about more than a visit or a diagnosis—and that it lasts long after treatment. We aim to integrate this perspective into all we do, by infusing mental health fluency and support across our system. Together we can continue to learn, grow and improve care.