The Online Therapy Bubble Is Bursting

Hebah Arroyo, an Illinois nurse practitioner, began working for the startup Done in the spring of 2020. She was drawn to the San Francisco-based company’s promise: to provide stigma-free online ADHD care, including prescription refills and virtual sessions with clinicians, for as little as $79 a month. “It was my first telehealth role,” she says, “so that was exciting for me.” Three months later, she resigned. “I quickly became unhappy because there was not any support for the clinicians” and the quality of care was lacking, Arroyo says. She regularly saw four patients an hour, a grueling pace that she says didn’t allow time for holistic treatment. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] In a statement provided to TIME, a Done representative said clinicians can make their own treatment determinations, including length of sessions. “Done was founded with a member-first mentality, meeting members where their needs are, and providing access to high quality care in an accessible and affordable approach,” the statement reads. But in Arroyo’s opinion, the business model wasn’t set up to serve either patients or clinicians. Everything, she felt, “was based on growing the company.” Prioritizing growth above all else—even if it means cutting corners along the way—is a common mentality among tech startups. Now, that alleged business practice is bringing scrutiny to many of the startups ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized feature healthscienceclimate Mental Health Source Type: news