Amidst an ongoing US health crisis which has placed limitations on the widespread availability of therapy and mental health services for many young people, AMN Healthcare launches Televate – a revolutionary teletherapy platform which seeks to virtually address this unmet need.
A PREMIER TELETHERAPY PLATFORM
The ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on healthcare services for students across the US, with psychological and speech therapy being particularly impacted.
As a result, not only have existing systemic difficulties been magnified, but new challenges have begun to arise.
For example, the current demand for mental health services, especially amongst children, is far outstripping supply.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA) and Mental Health America, this has resulted in longer waiting times, diminished access to care, and increased disparities amongst patients.
Speech therapy has faced similar disruption, witnessing delays to early interventions often vital for the development of a child’s communication and literacy skills.
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) has highlighted how these challenges are most keenly felt in rural and remote areas, where shortages of qualified professionals are most pronounced and access to essential services remains limited.
In response to these adversities, AMN Healthcare (AMN), the nation’s leading healthcare workforce solutions provider, has launched Televate – a state-of-the-art teletherapy platform aimed at improving access to essential healthcare and therapy services for students across the US.
ADDRESSING A RISING NEED
By utilising Televate, school therapists including psychologists, speech and language therapists, and other specialists can now conduct high-quality sessions in secure, virtual therapy environments.
The platform simplifies the coordination of scheduling, attendance, referrals, and documentation, all within a single, user-friendly system.
This innovation comes at a critical time when nearly 13 percent of children in the US between three and 17 years of age are reported to have a developmental disability, whilst approximately 20 percent of children in the same age group experience poor mental health.
As the need for school-based therapy services rises, access to therapists is becoming increasingly limited.
As such, Televate offers an innovative way to expand access to individualised, essential healthcare and therapy services in underserved areas where these services are urgently required.
ADVANCED FEATURES
While some students currently have access to generic teletherapy, Televate introduces comprehensive, advanced features that significantly enhance quality of care and are designed specifically to accommodate children.
Unlike existing platforms, which are generally designed for basic conference calls and webinars as opposed to specialised therapy, Televate is equipped with capabilities that are proven to support student accessibility and engagement, which, in turn, facilitates their progress towards developmental and academic goals.
These features include options for individual and group sessions, second camera integration, customisable video feeds, and collaborative tools such as a whiteboard and greenscreen.
In addition, users are able to participate in Televate’s teletherapy sessions through any compatible desktop, laptop, or Chromebook.
Furthermore, clinicians have access to a therapy room integrated with materials and assessments, ensuring that virtual evaluations meet standardised requirements.
As the technology is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) verified, users and clinicians can rest assured that patient data is completely secure.
A BENEFICIAL SERVICE FOR ALL
In addition to meeting students’ rising need for a virtual teletherapy platform, Televate also provides advanced features for the clinicians who utilise it.
Indeed, clinicians can easily build and maintain therapy schedules, track attendance and progress of individualised education plans (IEPs), manage student referrals, and upload important documentation – all from a single, secure location.
Further to this, annual and triennial deadline reminders are available to streamline compliance, whilst administrators have access to a ‘view only’ tool which allows them to see student attendance and IEP progress.
In this way, Televate offers clinicians a one-stop shop for the provision of therapy in a user-friendly environment.
COMING SOON
With the demand for speech and language therapy across the US predicted to grow by 25 percent over the next decade, platforms like Televate – as a high-tech resource intended to achieve an accessible outcome – are crucial in meeting a rising need.
The technology provides clinicians with everything they need to perform their jobs at a high level, while allowing school districts to meet mandated therapy service requirements.
Launching for use in the 2024-2025 academic year, the platform will be available nationwide.
Training for Televate will initially be provided to both school districts and clinicians affiliated with AMN.
Throughout the academic year, the company will collaborate with school districts and clinicians to make any necessary enhancements, ensuring Televate continues to effectively meet students’ evolving needs.
