When the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020, many businesses, including doctor’s offices and counseling centers, began operating via telehealth platforms. This allowed both patients and doctors to be secure and not have to worry about coming into contact or spreading the virus. The pandemic resulted in more than a 50% rise in the telehealth industry and even as the pandemic winds down, telehealth and teletherapy are going to be sticking around.
Many therapists and psychiatrists enjoy the flexibility and convenience of being able to offer their services either by phone call or telehealth video chat and their patients do, too. Not only does the telehealth industry make things flexible, but it allows therapy providers to reach new clients who may not live within commuting distance.
There are many telehealth platforms available and in order to choose the best one, you should examine all the important factors that come into play when determining which platform is the best for you: price, features, and performance.
In this article, we will go over the top five telehealth platforms that therapy providers use and hopefully provide you with some insight on which platform will suit your needs.
TheraPlatform
Boasted as an easy-to-use platform, TheraPlatform is web-based and offers a practice management software that covers everything you could need in a therapy software. It allows for paperless transactions and permits therapy providers to reach new clients around the world, clients who are homebound and unable to receive therapeutic care in-person.
The key features that make this service so unique are a built-in library of therapeutic apps and games for a variety of disorders, the ability to take notes in-session, a user-friendly client portal that allows your clients to communicate, sign digital documents, and process their payments, and more.
Additionally, TheraPlatform is HIPAA compliant for anyone worried about security.
Doxy.me
Made to be user-friendly, which is appealing to both therapy providers and patients alike, Doxy is a video call platform that all types of providers can use. While it does have a free version, the 29$ a month plan offers better quality video calls, the ability to share screens, and allows for group calls. However, what Doxy lacks is functionality when it comes to practice management.
Despite that, this platform does have some impressive features. Its data security is top-notch and HIPAA compliant, it’s easy to use and has a user-friendly design, it has a virtual waiting room that allows patients to queue for their appointments, and the subscription version comes with high-quality video and screen sharing capabilities.
Nuna
What makes Nuna an impressive choice for teletherapy needs is that it is an all-in-one platform that allows therapy providers to oversee their practice and workflow while also providing high-quality video calls. The best part? It’s free.
Nuna’s most notable features are its unique and easy-to-use interface, the ability to screen share during video calls, take notes in regards to clients, and share files. It offers both pre-call and post-call services and allows therapists and psychiatrists to reach clients worldwide.
Furthermore, it sends out automated reminders once a client books an appointment, and offers encrypted video sessions, payment and invoicing capabilities, and the ability to call clients with no link to join the call necessary.
Zoom for Healthcare
One of the most well-known platforms for video calls, Zoom is utilized by an assortment of businesses, including teletherapy and telehealth. It provides users with a downloadable software for virtual meetings that is used to schedule individual or group calls.
While there is a free version that permits individual calls, sharing screens, and a chat feature, it is restricted when it comes to group sessions as it has a 40-minute time limit.
Those worried about HIPAA-compliant video calling, will be happy to know that there is an add-on subscription available to those who have subscribed to the Pro version. Pro versions begin at $14.99 a month and go up from there, depending on what features you want.
VSee
Last but not least is VSee. This platform has two versions available for healthcare providers: VSee Clinic and VSee Messenger. They both come with free plans but these free plans are very limited. For $49 a month, VSee will provide you with features such as HIPAA-security, group calls, and, for VSee Clinic, patient management services.
The former version includes several useful attributes such as an impressive client management system. This system allows clients to fill out intake forms, make payments, and verify their insurance. However, this system is for premium versions only. In addition to these client-friendly features, there are more features for providers as well.
On the other hand, VSee Messenger is for video calls only and does not offer any management systems.
Final Thoughts
With telehealth and teletherapy services rising in popularity since 2020, and expected to continue to grow in the coming years, you can definitely anticipate to see more platforms being introduced as well as improvements on the already-existing platforms mentioned here. The services we discussed in this article are some of the best current programs, hosting a collection of impressive features and being compliant with HIPAA regulations which ensures the security and safety of video calls. No matter what platform you decide on for your teletherapy needs, you can’t go wrong with any of the above mentioned platforms.
However, to determine the best one for you, make sure that you do a thorough investigation on the features each one has to offer as well as the plans, both free and subscription-based. Some platforms offer free versions that will have the basics of what you need to function in your practice, while others will require a subscription in order to access some of the more important features such as practice management systems, which can be a true asset for telehealth providers and clients, and other impressive attributes such as file sharing, note-taking, virtual waiting rooms, and the ability to make payments.
These platforms are expected to continue to expand, especially as more and more people turn to telehealth and teletherapy for their health-related needs. Since telehealth allows providers to reach more clients who would otherwise not have access to such treatments, it’s important to make sure that the platform you are choosing is the right one for you.
