telepsychiatry services

Memor Health Expands Mental Health Care with Teletherapy and Telepsychiatry

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Reno-based psychotherapy and medication management practice extends telehealth options for teletherapy and telepsychiatry services after quickly innovating in response to COVID-19.

When the COVID-19 outbreak first forced many businesses to close in March 2020, Memor Health was ready to activate a telehealth system to support its patients.

“We’ve always had the availability to do telehealth, so we started offering it right away when COVID hit,” said Dr. Yvette Kaunismaki, the founder and owner of Memor Health and a Board Certified Psychiatrist.

Now, the Reno-based psychotherapy, medication management, and holistic modality practice is continuing to offer teletherapy and telepsychiatry options even after the threat of COVID-19 passes; as long as insurance continues to reimburse for services.

“We’re able actually to serve more people,” Dr. Kaunismaki said. “Telehealth allows for more flexibility in our ability to take care of our patients on their schedule.”

By quickly adapting and offering virtual options, Memor can also help more patients in Nevada’s rural communities, which are located in sparsely populated counties that are considerable distances from the state’s urban and tertiary care centers. The largest problem facing rural communities is access to healthcare during times of need, according to the Nevada State Office of Rural Health.

“We’re seeing more of our patients in the rural areas on a regular basis,” Dr. Kaunismaki said. “Previously, they may have only been able to come in once a month due to the distance they needed to travel. Now, we can see them weekly.”

Overall, patients and staff have responded positively to Memor’s teletherapy and telepsychiatry options, Dr. Kaunismaki said.

“We were really pleasantly surprised at really how easily it did work and how well the patients took to it,” she said. “I think the patients have enjoyed the ability to have a session and not have to leave the house if they’re not feeling safe.”

Memor Health uses the iSalus Healthcare app to facilitate secure doctor-to-patient communication, a HIPAA compliant, fully encrypted app. The app is available for IOS and Android devices and offers a high level of security and privacy for teletherapy and telepsychiatry.

Teletherapy sessions work much the same way as traditional therapy sessions with only one significant difference—the therapist and the client are not in the same room. As with face-to-face therapy, a client may seek out the therapist for one session to deal with a current life situation, or they may agree to ongoing sessions. Therapists are ethically and legally bound by privacy laws to not share details about their teletherapy sessions with third parties, just as with face-to-face sessions. They provide teletherapy services from a private and secure room, and sessions are not recorded.

Memor Health also offers telepsychiatry services and medication management. Just like teletherapy, psychiatrists are ethically and legally bound by privacy laws to not share details about their sessions with third parties, just as with face-to-face sessions. These telepsychiatry services are also conducted from a private and secure room.

For more information on Memor Health and its telehealth options, visit memorhealth.com/teletherapy-reno-covid19.

About Memor Health
Memor Health offers psychotherapy, medication management, and holistic modalities to those struggling with mental health issues in a compassionate, empowering, and therapeutic environment. With psychiatrists and therapists working in the same office, Memor Health can create continuity of care for patients. Memor Health strives to lessen the burden of mental health struggles in our community and help people work toward realizing their full potential. For more information, visit memorhealth.com or call 775-827-2400.

Yvette Kaunismaki

Yvette Kaunismaki

Yvette Kaunismaki, MD, specializes in psychiatry with a holistic approach, focusing on integrating therapy and medication for women’s issues, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. She emphasizes a team-based method, aiming for balanced mental health through collaborative care with experienced therapists.

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