PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alpha Medical, the company rebuilding women’s healthcare, today announced the expansion of its mental healthcare and telepsychiatry capabilities. The expansion is a key part of the company’s overall primary care offering, which includes urgent care, sexual and dermatological wellness. Available to adults in each state where Alpha operates, the mental health experience now includes treatment for Depression, a disorder which is the leading cause of disability in the U.S., and for Anxiety, which affects one third of U.S. adults in their lifetimes, and disproportionately affects women who are less likely to receive timely treatment.
“From the start, our mission has been to offer a fully-formed primary care experience for women, believing that creating a platform for end-to-end remote care was the best way to provide access to every woman who needed it, and we always considered mental health to be an important component of the experience,” said Gloria Lau, founder and CEO of Alpha Medical. “Our data backed this up. When 35% of new signups were for mental health screenings, we understood there was significant need in our patient community for accessible treatment as part of a full picture of health.”
Beginning today at helloalpha.com, once patients aged 18 and older complete the Alpha Mental Health Service intake form, they will have access to an important point of care in a secure, HIPAA-compliant environment that takes into account the full scope of their health and care. For patients who are unsure if they have a mental health condition like depression or anxiety, they can visit Alpha’s website for a free screening.
The Alpha Mental Health Service costs $120 annually, and the plan covers:
- All medical consultations with an Alpha Provider
- A personalized treatment plan with regular follow ups and medication adjustments
- Referral to talk therapy
- Unlimited messaging with the Alpha CareTeam, and
- Insurance support
“We are in a unique position to solve problems of cost and access to mental healthcare specifically by ease of use, and our online medical intake form that patients can complete at any time via our asynchronous platform,” said Mary Jacobson, MD., Chief Medical Director at Alpha Medical. “With this launch, we hope to also address and reduce the stigma around having a mental health condition by educating people about the prevalence of such conditions, which affect a huge swath of our population.”
According to the Center for Disease Control, individuals living with a serious mental illness face an increased risk of physical health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and HIV; U.S. adults living with serious mental illness die on average 25 years earlier than others, largely due to treatable medical conditions. Additionally, in the U.S., Major Depressive Disorder is the leading cause of disability for ages 15-44, and women are almost twice as likely as men to have had depression, and also have a higher prevalence for anxiety disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Once screened, the Alpha Medical Team will identify and coordinate the patient’s treatment plan according to the specific disorder.
- The Depression layer includes diagnosis and treatment plans for mild, moderate, and severe depression, postpartum (perinatal) depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and seasonal affective disorder.
- The Anxiety layer includes diagnosis and treatment plans for generalized anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorders, and social anxiety.
The personalized treatment plans may include referral to talk therapy, prescription medication(s), and/or self-care. The $120 fee does not cover the cost of medication or the cost of talk therapy.
Additionally, the company has announced availability in its three new states, starting with Tennessee, as well as Nebraska and Missouri in the coming months. Now patients seeking a primary care resource can go to Alpha Medical to get fast, convenient access wherever they are, by visiting helloalpha.com.
About Alpha Medical
Alpha Medical is a healthcare solution by women, for women. Alpha provides seamless online medical consultations by licensed providers and ships prescriptions to patients across the country, enabling women to take control of their health. Patients can also access reduced consultation costs and broad preventative health services with Alpha Membership. Alpha’s services are now available to patients in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington. For more information, visit helloalpha.com.
Contact
For press inquiries, contact LaunchSquad for Alpha Medical:
415-625-8555
alpha@launchsquad.com