Why COVID-19 is proving a 'great equalizer' for mental health care

The COVID-19 pandemic is proving to be a “great equalizer” for behavioral health.

Virtual care giant Teladoc is seeing stigmas around seeking behavioral health care break down as more people seek out telehealth visits, Gustavo Kinrys, M.D., medical director and vice president of behavioral health services at Teladoc Health, told FierceHealthcare.

And that’s a trend he expects to see continue beyond the novel coronavirus.

“Virtual care and the pandemic itself have both been shattering the stigma about mental health and people are increasingly more comfortable with virtual care solutions,” Kinrys said. “So we anticipate that will continue beyond the pandemic.”