Technology
Treating substance use disorders with web-based technologies
Which is more effective for treating substance use disorders – online or in-person interventions?
A recently released study of addiction treatments by Yale University compared the effectiveness of online to in-person methods and drew a conclusion that might offend readers with Luddite leanings: web-based treatment is not only as effective as in-person treatment but possibly more so.
Telehealth: A virtual technology for improved access, convenience and more
For so many of us, it’s easy to put off that doctor or other healthcare appointment. The kids have soccer practice. There’s a lot going on at work. The oil needs to be changed in the car. The dog needs to go to the vet.
Yes, it’s not good, but it reflects the reality of our fast-paced lives. There’s too much going on in a day to take time out to care for ourselvesHowever, there is an evidence-based solution for addressing the most fundamental barriers to care – access and convenience – and that is telehealth.
AI in behavioral health care: When artificial intelligence became real
Not long ago, the concept of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care may have seemed like the stuff of which science fiction books and movies is made, but AI is fast becoming positioned to become business as usual in an industry that is already steeped in data and analytics.
AI amps up the game, and Beacon Health Options has become a willing player in using this cutting-edge technology to improve people’s health at a reduced cost.
Telehealth for autism treatment: Improved efficacy, health and cost
The oft-cited statistic that one out of every 68 children in America has autism spectrum disorder (ASD) serves as the ongoing reminder that ASD affects many families, school systems and communities.
The challenge for the health care system at large is to determine the best treatment at a cost society can bear.
Plugging into mental health care: Digital mental health in Colorado
Beacon Health Options is building a lot of bridges to ensure that its members get the quality care they deserve, bridges that span both oceans and mountains.
Beacon has partnered with Ieso Digital Health, a United Kingdom-based firm with a unique digital mental health delivery platform, to provide mental health services for members in Colorado’s Medicaid program, many of whom live in remote rural and frontier areas, stranded from accessible services.
New Year, New Insights: Reflections from the 35th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
While most people are slowly emerging from the holiday haze, the healthcare investment community kicks off January with the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.
Originally an investors’ meeting for select public and private healthcare companies, the event – and the ecosystem of smaller conferences that surround it – now bring an estimated 30,000 people to San Francisco.
Beacon to Measure a Different Level of Outcomes
Greetings from the Sunshine State!
However, it’s more than sunshine that is making Florida a place of interest in Beacon Health Options’ (Beacon) ongoing story. In the first week of July, Beacon launched an outcomes pilot in Florida whose aim is to measure a different level of outcomes – outcomes that matter and truly reflect whether we are improving the lives of some of the most complex and vulnerable members in the state.
A New Road Taken: The Intersection of Health Care and Technology
Beacon Health Options’ new Oakland, CA office sits literally and figuratively at the intersection of health care and technology.
To one side of our building stands Kaiser’s corporate headquarters. To the other side stand towers occupied by San Francisco’s spreading tech boom, including Uber’s new office. It’s a fitting metaphor for where Beacon stands as well – at a point of transition to a world where technology is an essential enabler of services.
Shake It Up!
Disruptive Health Care Technology through Strategic Academic Partnerships
In 1982, the rock band “The Cars” had a #2 hit with “Shake It Up,” a quintessential pop tune about letting go of your conventional self and dancing all night. To some, 1982 may seem like a long time ago, but defying convention remains a pop-and-rock-music staple (think Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off”). More recently, “shaking it up” has made its way into the formerly staid world of health care under the guise of “disruptive technology” (Carnegie Mellon University, 2015).
Technology and Behavioral Health: The Time Is Now
Defining the Role of Technology in Behavioral Health Thanks to the myriad of new technologies entering the market, the opportunity to revolutionize health care delivery as we know it today is great! However, how do we know what really works and where to start prioritizing our efforts? As expanding access holds great potential to improve outcomes, we must include the use of mobile technologies in how we think about service-delivery models. The answer lies in Beacon Health Options’ new technology strategy: identifying specific areas and capabilities of focus. A rush to develop solutions Over the last decade, there has been an explosion of new technology solutions for promoting physical and mental health. These new solutions have included web- and mobile-based…