Accolade and Ginger team for integrated physical and mental healthcare

Benefits solutions business Accolade has partnered with on-demand mental health company Ginger to offer employers an integrated mental and physical care solution for reduced healthcare costs. 

Accolade will use data and intelligence to identify members at risk for mental health issues and proactively reach out to them. Ginger offers on-demand virtual services.

The new Mental Health Integrated Care will provide pre- and post-assessment results data and reporting data, including specific depression and anxiety assessment scores such as PHQ-9 and GAD-7.

Accolade addresses member medication-adherence and collaborates with the member's primary care physician. Clinical outcomes across all levels of risk are tracked. Most mental health solutions only track utilization and access, Accolade said. 

WHY THIS MATTERS

The new solution aims to further destigmatize the need to seek mental health support and treatment and manage physical and mental health needs through a single point of entry. 

It is being offered to Accolade's customers and more than 1.7 million members.

Services include on-demand mental health coaching, virtual therapy and virtual psychiatry.

THE LARGER TREND

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, there is a growing need for emotional and mental health support.

According to Ginger's 2020 Workforce Attitudes Toward Mental Health Report, nearly 70% of U.S. workers believe that this is the most stressful period of their careers, including major events like the September 11 terror attacks and the 2008 Great Recession. 

In the last week of August 2020, weekly utilization rates for mental health support were 148% higher for behavioral health coaching and 280% higher for therapy and psychiatry when compared to pre-COVID-19 averages, according to the report. 

ON THE RECORD

"Temple has a diverse employee base of healthcare professionals who are working incredibly hard through difficult times and, in line with high-performing health systems throughout the country, 2020 has taken a toll on our teams," said John Lasky, executive VP and chief human resources officer at Temple University Health System, which is using the solution for its employees.

"This year has been extremely hard on so many of us, as COVID-19 continues to disrupt our way of life," said Accolade Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shantanu Nundy. "As a result, our country's emotional and mental health is suffering, exacerbating chronic conditions and risking downstream health complications and costs."

"Physical and mental health conditions often go hand-in-hand, and it's time that we start treating them that way," said Justin Hunt, medical director and head of Psychiatry at Ginger.
 

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com