Veterans need better access to mental health treatment. Telemedicine can help.

Veterans have higher rates of mental health problems than the general population.

Veterans Day is an important day to honor all of the people who have served in the United States Armed Forces. It is also a day to remember not only what veterans and their families have sacrificed in their time of active duty, but also in their day-to-day lives that extend far beyond their time spent in the Armed Forces.

For example, being a veteran is often associated with an increased likelihood of dealing with mental health challenges. According to the2016 National Suicide Data Report, “After adjusting for differences in age, the rate of suicide in 2015 was 2.1 times higher among veterans compared with non-veteran adults.” Every day, approximately 20 veterans die by suicide and up to 14% of veterans report currently thinking about suicide. Veterans are also impacted more by other mental health disorders, including Post-Traumatic Stress, depression and substance abuse, than the standard population. Studies have reported that up to 15% of veterans have Post-Traumatic Stress, which itself increases the risk of attempting or completing suicide.

Mental health treatment is difficult to get everywhere in the country

Despite the great need for mental health services in the veteran population, specifically, there are still too few doctors and nurses for Veterans in many rural and some urban areas. The Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA) is suffering from the same mental health professional shortage that is affecting the entire country. And this shortage is not getting better for veterans and non-veterans alike. The Health Resources and Services Administration published a report in 2016 that predicted a shortage of 250,000 of certain mental health workers by 2025. 

Recently proposed legislation supporting the expansion of services (via telemedicine)

Legislators have recognized the gap between the mental health needs of the veteran population and the services that the VHA is currently able to provide. Luckily, new technology has made bridging the gap between the demand and the supply of mental health services significantly easier.

Earlier this year, Congressman Bruce Poliquin (ME), a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Democratic Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH) introduced the Enhancing Veterans Experience with Telehealth Services Act (the eVETS Act). According to the press release, “The bill allows veterans to choose between two extensively researched methods of treatment; prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive processing therapy. It also guarantees each patient at least a dozen therapy sessions. The care will be delivered via the VA’s video conferencing software.”

My take:

From my vantage point working in the telehealth space every day, I’m already seeing many of our clients consider telehealth for their veteran population. I’m also seeing more and more government organizations and consultant firms in DC turn to technology and telemedicine as a large part of their strategy and solution for 2019 and beyond. I think we’re truly on the cusp of something important.

That said, as much as we would like to be able to snap our fingers and double the number of mental health professionals out there, it’s not that easy. Like many of the other top health issues in the US, veteran healthcare is complex. We’re going to need to leverage multiple tools in order to find a scalable solution that works. Thankfully, legislators have recognized that the technology we have today - like telehealth - can bridge that gap, helping care for the people who care for our country. Already over half of US employers offer telemedicine mental health benefits. Soon, the VHA may be another.

So how do we implement these technologies sooner rather than later? Let me know in the comments.

Sylvia Romm, MD, MPH, is a pediatrician and VP of Medical Affairs at American Well. She lives with her family in New York City.