Reimagining the Clinician + AI Partnership

AI in behavioral health

As someone who has spent years in the trenches of behavioral health leadership, I’ve watched our field wrestle with an increasingly complex challenge: how do we provide the personalized, comprehensive care our patients deserve when our time and resources are stretched impossibly thin?

The average behavioral health clinician today is carrying an impossible workload. Between crafting individualized treatment plans, documenting patient interactions, monitoring medication adherence, tracking patient progress, and managing administrative requirements, we’re asked to be part clinician, part data analyst, part administrative coordinator, and part mind reader.

The Human at the Center, with AI as a Collaborative Partner

AI is not a magic solution. What I’m proposing is something more nuanced: AI as a collaborative partner that augments our clinical expertise rather than attempting to replace it.

Imagine an AI assistant that doesn’t just crunch numbers, but actually understands the intricate landscape of behavioral health. A tool that could:

  • Analyze treatment histories of similar patients to help inform personalized care strategies
  • Automatically draft comprehensive, accurate clinical notes that capture the nuance of each patient interaction
  • Proactively flag potential medication interactions or side effects based on real-time patient data
  • Help track patient progress between appointments, identifying early warning signs that might otherwise go unnoticed

This is about giving clinicians superpowers – the ability to see patterns, anticipate needs, and spend more quality time doing what we entered this field to do: truly connect with and help their patients.

The Workflow Revolution Goes From Administrative Burden to Clinical Insight

How many hours do we lose each week to paperwork that takes us away from patient care? Current estimates suggest clinicians spend nearly 50% of their time on documentation and administrative tasks.

An AI partnership could fundamentally transform that equation. By automating documentation, providing predictive insights, and streamlining patient monitoring, we could reclaim those hours and redirect them toward meaningful clinical interactions.

Building Trust is The Critical Human Element

What I can hear from many clinicians – “Another tech solution that doesn’t understand the complexity of what we do.” And you’re right to be skeptical. The most successful AI tools won’t be developed in a tech bubble, but through deep collaboration with clinical professionals who understand the intricate dance of patient care. I co-founded Videra in part for this reason specifically – so I can help be that clinical voice in the room as we develop tools to help other clinicians.

This means AI development must be:

  • Transparent about capabilities and limitations
  • Rigorously tested in real-world clinical environments
  • Designed with robust privacy and ethical considerations
  • Continuously refined through clinician feedback

An Invitation to Collaborate

Technology isn’t replacing human connection. Technology enhances our capacity for connection. As someone who has led clinics and understands the daily challenges clinicians face, I see immense potential in a thoughtful, collaborative approach to AI integration.

For my fellow clinicians, what are your hopes? Your concerns? Your vision for how technology can support the incredible work we do?

The future of behavioral health isn’t about choosing between human expertise and technological innovation. It’s about creating a partnership that amplifies our most fundamental goal: providing compassionate, personalized care that truly helps our patients thrive.

What are your thoughts? Join me on LinkedIn to discuss.

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Why We Made TDScreen Free: A CEO’s Perspective on Democratizing Mental Health Screening

TDScreen AI-powered TD screening tool interface showing patient assessment dashboard

Last week we announced the launch of TDScreen – our AI-powered Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) screening tool. The response has been immediate and overwhelming, validating everything we believed about the urgent need for accessible TD screening.

This is exactly why we built TDScreen.

The Hidden Crisis in Plain Sight

Let me share some numbers that keep me up at night:

  • At least 500,000 Americans suffer with Tardive Dyskinesia
  • Only 20% of those  have been diagnosed
  • That’s a 80% diagnosis gap

But here’s what those statistics don’t capture: Each untreated case represents someone whose involuntary movements might be dismissed as nervousness, aging, or “just a quirk.” Someone who might stop taking life-changing medications because they’re embarrassed by movements that could be managed. Someone whose quality of life is quietly deteriorating while effective treatments exist.

Why Traditional Screening Fails

The standard AIMS assessment takes 15-20 minutes of specialized clinical time. For a psychiatrist seeing 20-30 patients daily, screening everyone quarterly (as guidelines recommend) is mathematically impossible. It’s not about clinician dedication – it’s about the brutal reality of time constraints in modern healthcare.

This is where AI changes everything. TDScreen compresses expert-level assessment into a 5-minute patient self-assessment, with accuracy that actually exceeds human raters (0.89 AUC, validated in our Journal of Clinical Psychiatry study).

The Business Decision to Make TDScreen Free

We’re not in the business of gatekeeping essential healthcare tools. We’re in the business of transforming behavioral health outcomes.

Making TDScreen free isn’t charity – it’s strategy. Every provider who adopts TDScreen becomes part of our mission to modernize behavioral healthcare. Every patient who gets screened is a potential life improved. And every success story builds the foundation for our broader platform vision.

What Our TD Screening Tool Actually Does

For providers wondering about the specifics – here’s exactly what you get:

Immediate Clinical Value

  • Patient completes video assessment (smartphone, tablet, or computer)
  • AI analyzes movement patterns based on AIMS criteria
  • You receive an objective risk score with visual highlights
  • Track changes over time with quantitative data

Zero Hidden Costs

  • No subscription fees
  • No per-patient charges
  • No training requirements
  • No IT integration needed
  • Start screening in under 15 minutes

The Evidence Behind TDScreen

Our research, published yesterday in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, demonstrates that TDScreen achieves:

  • Superior consistency compared to human raters (Cohen’s Kappa of 0.61)
  • Validated across 350+ patients in multi-site clinical trials

This isn’t theoretical – it’s proven technology ready for clinical use today. Our partners in the study – Dr. Anthony A. Sterns, Ph.D., lead researcher on the project and CEO at iRxReminder, Dr. Owen Muir, CMO of iRxReminder, CMO and co-founder of Radial Health, and co-author of the publication, and the National Institutes of Health – provided the data and analysis that helped to create TDScreen.

The Bigger Vision

Why This TD Screening Tool Changes Everything

TDScreen is just the beginning. At Videra Health, we’re building a comprehensive AI platform that transforms how behavioral health providers deliver care. But we started with TD screening for a reason: it’s a massive, solvable problem where AI demonstrably outperforms traditional methods.

By making TDScreen free, we’re proving that AI in healthcare doesn’t have to be expensive, complex, or intimidating. It can be as simple as sending your patient a link.

Your Patients Are Waiting

If you prescribe antipsychotics, you have patients at risk for TD. Statistically, several already have symptoms. The question isn’t whether to screen – it’s whether you’ll do it the old way or the better way.

TDScreen is live, validated, and free at tdscreen.ai.

No sales calls. No demos required. No contracts to sign.

Just better care, starting today.

Join the Movement

In healthcare innovation, the best time to adopt new technology is when it’s proven but not yet universal. TDScreen has the validation (peer-reviewed research), the accessibility (completely free), and the simplicity (5-minute assessments) to transform TD screening.

The providers who adopt TDScreen today aren’t just using a tool – they’re setting a new standard of care for their patients.

Will you join us?

Start screening at tdscreen.ai

Register for TDScreen now

Breaking the Silence: Using AI to Empower Men to Seek Help for Mental Health The Silent Crisis

Man using AI mental health app on smartphone, demonstrating digital support for men's mental wellness

AI men’s mental health solutions are emerging as a critical breakthrough in addressing a silent crisis. In a world where strength is often measured by stoicism, millions of men are suffering without seeking help. The statistics paint a sobering picture: men die by suicide at nearly four times the rate of women, with suicide being one of the leading causes of death among men, particularly those in their middle years. Yet despite this alarming reality, less than half of men experiencing depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions will ever seek professional help. AI men’s mental health technology is now offering new pathways to overcome these barriers.

The barriers men face aren’t just about availability of services—they’re deeply woven into cultural fabric. As mental health professionals, we’ve witnessed firsthand how traditional notions of masculinity have created what many are now recognizing as a public health crisis.

“Many men have a complicated relationship with their mental health,” writes the Wildflower Center for Emotional Health. “Nearly 1 in 10 men experience depression or anxiety. Yet… just 42% of male-identifying respondents were treated for any mental health issue compared to 57% of female-identifying respondents.”

The stigma is real and deeply ingrained. According to a UK survey by Priory Group, 40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health, with 29% reporting they were “too embarrassed” while 20% cited a “negative stigma” around the issue.1  Perhaps most troubling, the same survey found that for 40% of men, it would take thoughts of suicide or self-harm to compel them to seek professional help.

AI Men's Mental Health: The Technology Breakthrough

The intersection of artificial intelligence and mental health presents a unique and powerful opportunity to address this crisis. As we celebrate Men’s Health Month in June 2025, innovative AI solutions are emerging as game-changers in breaking down barriers that have historically prevented men from seeking help.

What makes AI particularly promising for men’s mental health? Three critical factors:

  1. Privacy: AI applications provide a confidential space where men can express their concerns without fear of judgment.
  2. Accessibility: Mental health support becomes available 24/7, accommodating men’s varied schedules and removing geographical barriers.

Reduced stigma: The digital interface creates emotional distance that can make it easier for men to take that first step toward acknowledging their struggles.

AI Innovations Changing Men's Mental Health Landscape

Several promising AI applications are already making an impact:

Early detection systems employ natural language processing to identify subtle linguistic markers of depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation from text messages, emails, or social media posts. These systems can flag concerning patterns and suggest appropriate interventions before a crisis develops.

Personalized digital companions provide evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy techniques customized to men’s specific needs and communication styles. These AI assistants can engage in ongoing conversations, monitor progress, and adapt their approach based on what works best for each individual.

Virtual reality exposure therapy allows men to confront stressful situations or process trauma in controlled environments, gradually building resilience and coping skills.

AI-enhanced platforms connect men with human therapists while using machine learning to match clients with professionals most suited to their specific concerns and preferences. These systems also help maintain engagement between sessions.

Not Without Challenges

Despite its promise, the AI mental health revolution faces important hurdles. Ethics boards and mental health organizations have rightfully raised concerns about patient safety, data privacy, and the risk of providing inadequate care. There’s also the danger of some men using AI as an indefinite substitute for human connection rather than a bridge to comprehensive care when needed.

Dr. Vaile Wright from the American Psychological Association emphasized this point in her recent comments on AI therapy research: “I don’t think humans need to be concerned that they’re going to be put out of business,” observing that given the tremendous shortage of mental health providers, “the country needs all the quality therapists we can get—be they human or bot.”2

This highlights the ideal path forward: leveraging AI as a complement to, rather than replacement for, human care. The most effective systems will likely be those designed to identify when a case exceeds the capabilities of AI and facilitate smooth transitions to appropriate human providers.

A New Framework for Men's Mental Health

What’s emerging is a promising multi-tiered approach:

Tier 1: Awareness and Education AI-powered content through social media, podcasts, and targeted campaigns helps normalize mental health discussions for men and raises awareness about available resources.

Tier 2: Self-Help Tools Digital mental fitness applications provide anonymous skills training in stress management, emotional regulation, and resilience building.

Tier 3: Early Intervention AI screening tools enable early detection of developing problems and guide men toward appropriate resources.

Tier 4: Treatment Support AI companions enhance traditional therapy by improving engagement and providing support between sessions.

Tier 5: Crisis Prevention Advanced monitoring systems detect warning signs of self-harm and activate appropriate safety protocols.

The Path Forward: Implementing Effective Solutions

For behavioral health leaders and clinicians, the implications are significant. Here are key recommendations for organizations seeking to leverage AI to better serve men:

  1. Design with men in mind. Ensure AI systems address men’s specific needs, communication preferences, and concerns.
  2. Prioritize evidence-based approaches. As the space becomes crowded with offerings, distinguish between marketing hype and solutions grounded in clinical research.
  3. Maintain human oversight. Establish clear protocols for when and how AI systems should escalate cases to human providers.
  4. Respect privacy boundaries. Implement robust data protection systems while being transparent about how men’s information is used.
  5. Track outcomes rigorously. Collect meaningful data on engagement, symptom reduction, and quality of life improvements.
  6. Address diversity. Ensure AI systems are trained on diverse data sets that reflect the full spectrum of masculinity across cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, and sexual orientations.

Conclusion: A Promising Horizon

The reluctance of men to seek help for mental health concerns has persisted as a stubborn public health challenge for decades. AI technology now offers a promising pathway to change this narrative. By creating bridges to care that align with men’s needs for privacy, control, and gradual engagement, we have an unprecedented opportunity to reach millions who might otherwise suffer in silence.

As we observe Men’s Health Month this June, let’s recognize both the progress we’ve made and the work that remains. The AI revolution in mental health care isn’t simply about implementing new technologies—it’s about reimagining how we approach men’s wellness altogether.

By combining technological innovation with compassionate understanding of the unique barriers men face, we can create a future where seeking help isn’t seen as weakness, but as a powerful act of self-determination and strength.

Read more about AI in behavioral health on our blog.

1 Priory Group. (2015). “Men’s Mental Health: 40% of Men Won’t Talk to Anyone About Their Mental Health.” Survey of 1,000 UK men. Retrieved from https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/40-of-men-wont-talk-to-anyone-about-their-mental-health

2. Riddle, Katia. (2025, April 7). “The AI therapist can see you now.” NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/07/nx-s1-5351312/artificial-intelligence-mental-health-therapy

Videra Health Launches TDScreen, a First-of-Its-Kind Video-based, AI-powered Tool to Assess Tardive Dyskinesia Symptoms

TDScreen AI-powered TD screening interface showing video analysis of patient movements for tardive dyskinesia detection

New study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reveals AI enables efficient, accurate and scalable detection of TD, representing a significant advancement in meeting the standard of care for TD screening

Orem, UT, June 3, 2025 – Videra Health, a leading AI platform for behavioral health providers, has announced the launch of TDScreen, the first-ever automated, video-based AI solution on the market to screen for Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) symptoms. TD is a chronic, involuntary movement disorder that can develop as a side effect of long-term use of certain medications, particularly antipsychotic drugs. While TDScreen isn’t intended as a standalone diagnostic tool, it represents a significant advancement in meeting the standard of care for TD screening.

TD presents unique screening challenges even for experienced clinicians and remains underdiagnosed. TD affects up to 2.6 million Americans, and up to 7 million Americans taking antipsychotic medications could develop TD symptoms. With its involuntary movements often mistaken for nervousness, aging, or other conditions, the gap in recognition represents not just a clinical challenge, but a deeply human one that affects quality of life and treatment outcomes. A paper published Wednesday in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Anthony Sterns and members of the iRxReminder and Videra Health teams, reveals that video-based AI enables efficient, accurate, and scalable detection of TD. This application has the potential to significantly improve early diagnosis and patient outcomes, especially in remote care settings where resources are scarcest. Videra Health’s TDScreen algorithm was built using the data from multiple studies, which was supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health, and represents a significant leap forward in integrating artificial intelligence into psychiatric care, particularly in the era of telemedicine.

“Videra Health is thrilled to be able to launch a first-of-its-kind innovative solution to screen for TD symptoms, effectively,” said Loren Larsen, CEO of Videra Health. “TDScreen and our broader AI platform aren’t about replacing clinician judgment—they’re about enhancing it. By automating routine screenings, we free healthcare providers to focus on what matters most: the human connections and complex decision-making that drive quality care.” Larsen added, “We are grateful for the multiple academic and research partners who have contributed their time and expertise to these studies.”

“Early detection of TD is critical to mitigating its debilitating effects,” said Dr. Anthony A. Sterns, Ph.D., lead researcher on the project and CEO at iRxReminder. “Our AI-driven approach not only matches but exceeds human expert performance, offering a scalable solution to a major unmet clinical need,” added Dr. Joel W. Hughes, Ph.D., collaborator from Kent State University.

“As a physician who both treats –and lives with– tardive dyskinesia, this research marks a turning point for millions of patients who have been forced to wonder if the movement disorder they suffer from could be treatable,” says Owen S, Muir, M.D., CMO of iRxReminder, CMO and co-founder of Radial Health, and co-author of the publication.  “Now, physicians have a simple, evidence-based AI-guided tool to support their clinical decision making.”

TDScreen was validated across three clinical studies involving more than 350 participants on antipsychotic medications. The innovative AI tool developed by Videra Health utilizes advanced video analysis and a vision transformer machine learning architecture to detect TD with unprecedented accuracy. TDScreen demonstrates a Cohen’s Kappa of 0.61—a number indicating the algorithm is outperforming even calibrated human raters. The algorithm achieved an area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.89, surpassing the sensitivity and specificity of trained human raters using the standard Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS).

These numbers represent more than just statistical achievements—they translate to real-world benefits:

  • Consistency: Unlike human raters whose assessments may vary, AI provides the same evaluation standards every time
  • Accessibility: Patients can complete assessments from home on their own devices
  • Efficiency: Providers save valuable clinical time while increasing screening frequency
  • Earlier detection: Subtle symptoms can be identified before they become pronounced

Continuous monitoring: Regular assessments track symptom progression or improvement

With TDScreen, patients on antipsychotics can easily complete video-based screenings in-office or remotely, and enable providers to monitor or modify their treatment plans. The TDScreen tool is based on the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), a comprehensive clinician-rated scale designed to specifically evaluate involuntary movements. Employing advanced AI video technology, TDScreen efficiently assesses and quantifies the risk of TD in less than 5 minutes. The resulting score generated by this assessment can aid in clinical decision-making and management strategies.

TDscreen is available free of charge for any provider or patient wanting to screen for TD. Visit tdscreen.ai to learn more.

About Videra Health™

Videra Health is a leading AI platform for behavioral health providers and proactively identifies, triages and monitors at-risk patients using linguistic, audio and video analysis. The FDA-registered digital platform transforms how doctors and healthcare systems interact and track a patient’s journey, illuminating the hidden depths of patient behavior and outcomes. Videra Health connects providers and patients anytime, anywhere, between visits and post-discharge via written and video assessments that translate into actionable quantitative and qualitative patient data. The platform streamlines diagnoses, enhances care accessibility, optimizes workflows and drives down costs for providers and healthcare systems. 

For more information, visit www.viderahealth.com.

About iRxReminder
iRxReminder specializes in digital health solutions aimed at enhancing medication adherence and mental health management through cutting-edge technology applications and innovative behavioral science solutions.

For more information, visit www.irxreminder.com.

How AI Expands Care When Care Demands Continues to Rise

Healthcare provider using AI mental health platform on tablet while speaking with patient, illustrating how AI in mental healthcare amplifies human care

As we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month this May, we find ourselves at a critical juncture where AI in mental healthcare offers promising solutions. The need for mental health services continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, while provider shortages and burnout intensify. According to data from across the healthcare landscape, 47% of the U.S. population now lives in an area with a mental health workforce shortage, and wait times for appointments often stretch beyond three months.

At Videra Health, we’ve been tackling this challenge head-on, working with providers who face the daily reality of trying to deliver quality care despite limited resources. Our experiences have revealed a fundamental truth: we cannot simply produce more clinicians fast enough to meet the growing demand. Instead, we must find innovative ways to expand the reach and impact of our existing clinical workforce.

The Human Understanding Gap: Where AI in Mental Healthcare Makes a Difference

The core of effective mental healthcare has always been human connection and understanding. Providers need to know not just what their patients are saying, but how they’re feeling, their emotional state, and whether they’re at risk. Traditionally, this understanding has been limited to in-office interactions, creating significant blind spots in patient care journeys.

What happens when a patient struggling with depression has a difficult week between appointments? How can a substance use disorder treatment center identify which discharged patients are at risk of relapse? How do we ensure that individuals experiencing suicidal ideation are identified and supported before reaching crisis?

These questions highlight what I call the “human understanding gap” – the critical information about patient wellbeing that falls through the cracks between formal care touchpoints.

AI in Mental Healthcare: Building Bridges, Not Replacements

This is where thoughtfully designed AI systems can make a transformative difference. At Videra, we’ve seen firsthand how clinical AI can serve as a bridge that extends human care, rather than replacing it.

Our platform uses video, audio, and text assessments powered by artificial intelligence to understand patients in their own words and on their own time. By analyzing facial expressions, voice patterns, language, and behavioral indicators, we can identify signs of emotional distress, suicidal language, medication adherence challenges, and other critical indicators that might otherwise go unnoticed between appointments.

The results have been profound. In one behavioral health system implementation, we’ve seen that patients with higher engagement in post-discharge monitoring demonstrate significantly stronger recovery outcomes. Another community mental health center utilizing our technology reduced crisis alerts by 64% after just two weeks of proactive monitoring.

Amplifying Human Care, Not Replacing It

The most important lesson we’ve learned is that effective clinical AI doesn’t aim to replace human providers – it amplifies their capabilities and extends their reach. By handling routine clinical assessments and identifying at-risk patients, AI creates a force multiplier for clinical expertise, allowing providers to direct their specialized skills where they’re needed most.

For example, our automated assessment system can engage thousands of patients consistently and frequently to identify those with acute needs, before, during or after care. Our note-taking technology reduces documentation time, giving clinicians more face-to-face time with patients. And our monitoring tools provide continuous support between appointments, creating a safety net that would be impossible to maintain manually.

This clinical enhancement works alongside our workflow solutions, which address a separate but complementary need. While clinical AI focuses on assessment and insights, our workflow tools tackle the administrative burdens that consume valuable provider time.

The result is a multiplier effect on care capacity. Providers using these integrated AI-powered clinical and workflow tools can effectively support more patients without sacrificing quality of care – in fact, they can often deliver better outcomes by focusing their expertise where it’s most needed.

Looking Forward: The Future of AI in Mental Healthcare

As we look ahead, I believe we’re only beginning to tap into AI’s potential to address the growing mental health crisis. Future developments will likely include:

  • More sophisticated risk prediction models that can identify potential issues before they become crises
  • Deeper integration with treatment pathways to provide personalized care recommendations
  • Enhanced accessibility tools that break down barriers to care for underserved populations
  • Advanced training systems that help new clinicians develop expertise more quickly

At Videra Health, we’re committed to advancing these innovations responsibly, always keeping the human connection at the center of our work. Because ultimately, the goal isn’t to build AI that replaces humans – it’s to build AI that helps humans help more humans.

A Call to Action

As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, I encourage healthcare leaders to consider how AI can extend your organization’s capacity to deliver care. The mental health crisis isn’t waiting, and neither should we.

We need to embrace tools that allow us to do more with our existing resources, reaching patients when and where they need support. By implementing AI in mental healthcare thoughtfully, we can ensure that more people receive the care they need, when they need it most.

Together, we can build a future where technology and human connection work in harmony to meet the growing demand for mental healthcare – not by replacing the invaluable work of clinicians, but by amplifying their impact and extending their reach.

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Introducing Videra Sidekick Notes’s New Group Notes Feature

Videra Health

I’m thrilled to announce the release of our newest innovation in clinical documentation: Group Notes capability within our Sidekick Notes product. This groundbreaking feature addresses one of the most significant pain points in behavioral health – the time-consuming and complex process of documenting group therapy sessions.

The Challenge of Group Documentation

Throughout my conversations with clinicians across the country, one consistent theme emerges: group session documentation is uniquely challenging. Tracking multiple participants, capturing individual contributions, and creating comprehensive yet individualized notes has historically been a manual, time-intensive process that pulls providers away from what matters most – patient care.

Group therapy is a vital treatment modality, but its unique documentation requirements have often overburden clinicians causing inconsistent quality and accuracy. Until now.

Revolutionary AI-Powered Group Notes

Videra’s Sidekick Notes now includes the industry’s first-of-its-kind AI-powered group therapy documentation solution. This exclusive capability automatically:

  • Identifies individual speakers using our proprietary Speaker Map technology
  • Generates comprehensive session summaries that capture the overall group dynamic
  • Creates individualized sections for each participant
  • Provides speaker identification assistance for participants it cannot automatically recognize

What makes this particularly exciting is that we’ve designed the system to work alongside clinicians rather than replace their judgment. When our AI identifies a speaker with high confidence, it will label them accordingly with a visual indicator showing it was AI-assisted. For speakers it cannot identify with certainty, Sidekick presents the provider with small audio clips to confirm identification, ensuring accuracy while saving substantial time.

Beyond Just Group Notes

While Group Notes is the highlight of this release, Sidekick Notes continues to offer comprehensive documentation support for individual sessions across multiple note formats:

  • SOAP notes
  • DAP notes
  • GIRP notes

All with customizable tone settings (progress notes or medical necessity) and seamless integration with your existing workflows through several deployment methods, including browser-window based, browser-extension based, or Zoom integration.

The Impact on Provider Well-being

We built Sidekick because we believe documentation should support clinical care, not detract from it. By automating the most time-consuming aspects of this process – particularly for group sessions – we’re giving clinicians back valuable time to focus on patient care or personal well-being, saving 60-70% of their documentation time.

One early adopter of Group Notes told us: “I used to spend my evenings catching up on group documentation. With Sidekick Group Notes, I’m finishing my notes before I leave the office.”

Looking Forward

This release represents a significant milestone in our journey to transform behavioral healthcare technology. Our Speaker Map technology provides a first-of-its-kind ability to automatically identify each user based on their voice alone. Not more manually noting an entire session. Speaker Map does it for you.

In the coming months, we’ll continue enhancing our group documentation capabilities while expanding our Sidekick suite to include more tools that empower clinicians and improve patient care.

I invite you to experience Sidekick Notes and the new Group Notes feature firsthand. If you want to see Group Notes in action, make an appointment here for a demonstration, and join us in our mission to give clinicians more time for what matters most – helping people live healthier lives.

Together, we’re making the future of behavioral healthcare more human.

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Managing Stress in the Digital Age: Practical Tools for Behavioral Health Clinics

digital solutions for behavioral health clinicians

In today’s fast-paced healthcare environment, behavioral health clinicians face unprecedented challenges. Rising patient demand, administrative burdens, and the constant pressure to deliver high-quality care can create a perfect storm of stress for even the most dedicated professionals. As Videra Health’s Chief Clinical Officer, I’ve witnessed firsthand how digital solutions can either add to this burden or, when thoughtfully implemented, help alleviate it.

The Growing Challenge

The statistics paint a clear picture: nearly half of the U.S. population lives in a mental health workforce shortage area, average wait times for mental health services exceed three months, and no-show rates hover around 30%. These challenges create immense pressure on clinicians, leading to burnout and decreased quality of care.

However, I’ve observed a positive shift in how behavioral health organizations are leveraging technology to address these challenges. The right digital tools can transform workflows, enhance patient engagement, and provide valuable insights that improve both clinical outcomes and staff wellbeing.

Digital Solutions That Actually Help

At Videra Health, we’ve worked with hundreds of behavioral health organizations to identify which digital approaches actually reduce clinician stress rather than adding to it. Here are key strategies we’ve found most effective:

1. Automate Administrative Tasks, Not Clinical Judgment

The most successful digital implementations focus on eliminating repetitive administrative tasks while preserving and enhancing clinicians’ unique expertise and judgment. For example, automating intake assessments and post-discharge follow-ups can save hours of staff time while still providing rich clinical data.

When our client’s large behavioral health practice implemented automated post-discharge monitoring, they didn’t just save staff time—they identified patients needing intervention who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks. As one clinician shared, “We had four alerts over the weekend, and we were able to reach out to support clients and one came back for services… we would have never been able to find these patients in time without Videra.”

2. Implement Proactive Risk Identification

One of the most stressful aspects of behavioral health practice is worrying about patients between sessions. Digital tools that allow for ongoing monitoring and proactive risk identification can alleviate this burden.

Our experience with behavioral health support services shows that timely alerts for emotional distress, suicidal ideation, and other concerning patterns can enable early intervention. This not only improves patient outcomes and scales across the entire patient population, but also reduces the psychological burden on clinicians who otherwise might worry about patients between appointments.

3. Leverage Multimodal Assessments

Traditional questionnaire-based assessments only tell part of the story. Modern behavioral health platforms that incorporate video, audio, and text assessments can capture much richer data. This approach allows patients to express themselves in their own words, providing clinicians with deeper insights while reducing the time needed to gather comprehensive information.

One clinician noted, “Because Videra is video-based, it gives the clinician or staff the very information that you would be looking for if the patient were sitting across from you in your office.” This deeper understanding helps clinicians make more informed decisions more efficiently.

4. Focus on Meaningful Measurement

Not all data is created equal. The most effective digital solutions focus on collecting and analyzing information that directly informs clinical decisions and improves care.

By tracking key metrics like changes in PHQ-9 scores, medication adherence, and social determinants of health over time, clinicians can identify trends and adjust treatment plans accordingly. This data-driven approach not only improves patient outcomes but also gives clinicians confidence that their interventions are having the desired effect.

5. Engage Patients Between Visits

Patient engagement doesn’t have to stop when the session ends. Digital platforms that facilitate ongoing communication and support between visits can extend the impact of therapy while reducing the pressure on in-person appointments.

Research shows that patients with higher engagement in digital follow-up programs demonstrate stronger recovery, with better protective factors and lower relapse rates. This continuous engagement creates a more sustainable care model for both patients and providers.

The Human Element Remains Essential

As we embrace these digital solutions, it’s crucial to remember that technology should enhance rather than replace the human connection at the heart of behavioral healthcare. The most effective implementations leverage technology to handle routine tasks, gather information, and identify risks—freeing clinicians to focus on what they do best: providing compassionate, personalized care.

One CCBHC director summarized it perfectly: “Technology doesn’t replace our clinicians—it amplifies their impact by ensuring they can focus their time and expertise where it’s needed most.”

Moving Forward Together

The future of behavioral healthcare isn’t about choosing between human expertise and digital efficiency—it’s about thoughtfully integrating both to create more sustainable, effective, and scalable care models. By implementing the right digital tools in the right way, behavioral health organizations can reduce clinician stress, improve patient outcomes, and build more resilient healthcare systems.

At Videra Health, we’re committed to supporting this integration with solutions designed specifically for the unique challenges of behavioral healthcare. Together, we can create a future where technology doesn’t add to clinician burden but instead helps create more manageable, rewarding work environments where both providers and patients can thrive.

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2025 Trends in Behavioral Health Technology – Part 2

Two hands - one human, one robotic - pointing to 2025

As discussed in part one of this series, the behavioral health technology landscape is undergoing a profound metamorphosis, with artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies reshaping how behavioral health professionals train, deliver care, and interact with patients. Here’s the last four trends I think will impact the behavioral healthcare space in 2025.

Intelligent Training and Skill Development

Continuous improvement has always been the hallmark of exceptional clinical practice. Now, AI is revolutionizing how behavioral health professionals refine their craft. Imagine a world where every therapy session becomes a learning opportunity—not through traditional supervision alone, but through intelligent, nuanced feedback systems that can analyze communication patterns, emotional resonance, and therapeutic techniques with unprecedented depth.

Advanced AI tools can now listen to therapy sessions, providing granular insights into communication effectiveness. These systems don’t just provide mechanical feedback; they offer sophisticated analysis of therapeutic alliance, helping clinicians understand subtle interpersonal dynamics that might otherwise go unnoticed. Simulated training environments allow practitioners to practice with AI patients, creating safe spaces to experiment with diverse therapeutic approaches and develop skills for treating populations they might find challenging.

This isn’t about replacing human supervision but augmenting it. By reducing time and cost barriers associated with traditional training methods, these technologies democratize professional development, allowing more practitioners to access high-quality skill enhancement.

Streamlining Administrative Burdens

One of the most significant pain points in behavioral healthcare has been the labyrinthine intake and documentation processes. Regulatory requirements have historically created substantial barriers, consuming valuable time and resources that could be directed towards patient care.

Artificial intelligence is transforming this landscape by automating information gathering. Intelligent systems can now conduct comprehensive intakes, ask nuanced follow-up questions, and seamlessly populate required documentation. The result is a dramatically reduced administrative overhead, allowing more financial and temporal resources to be channeled directly into therapeutic interventions.

These systems aren’t about replacing human interaction but optimizing it. By handling routine information collection, they free clinicians to focus on what truly matters—building meaningful therapeutic relationships and delivering high-quality care.

The Emerging Landscape of Digital Therapeutics

The regulatory landscape for digital behavioral health tools is rapidly evolving. The FDA’s increasing approval of digital therapeutics and CMS’s recent Medicare billing codes represent a watershed moment. What was once considered experimental is now becoming mainstream healthcare.

Digital therapeutics are no longer peripheral technologies but integrated healthcare solutions. Much like traditional prescriptions, clinicians can now “prescribe” FDA-approved digital applications. This represents a fundamental shift in how we conceptualize behavioral health treatment—expanding therapeutic interventions beyond traditional in-person or telehealth models.

However, this emerging ecosystem is not without risks. The proliferation of behavioral health apps has created a complex marketplace where marketing claims often outpace clinical evidence. Consumers and practitioners must develop sophisticated digital literacy, distinguishing between rigorously tested interventions and unsubstantiated digital offerings.

Navigating the Ethics of AI in Therapy

The potential for AI to automate risk assessment and even conduct preliminary therapeutic interactions is tantalizing. Yet, this technological frontier demands careful navigation. While AI tools can provide initial screenings and support, they cannot—and should not—replace the profound human elements of therapeutic relationships.

We are witnessing the early stages of what might become a regulatory “Wild West” in digital behavioral health. Expect increased scrutiny, with regulatory bodies working to establish clear guidelines that protect patient safety while allowing technological innovation.

A Holistic View of Technological Integration

These trends are not isolated developments but interconnected elements of a broader transformation. They represent a holistic reimagining of behavioral healthcare—where technology serves as an empowering tool, not a replacement for human connection.

The most successful organizations will be those that view these technologies not as standalone solutions but as integrated components of a comprehensive care strategy. Success will depend on maintaining a delicate balance: leveraging technological capabilities while preserving the irreplaceable human elements of empathy, nuance, and genuine therapeutic connection.

Embracing Responsible Innovation

As we move deeper into 2025, the behavioral health landscape stands at a critical juncture. The technologies emerging today have the potential to democratize behavioral healthcare, reduce systemic barriers, and create more personalized, effective treatment modalities.

Yet, with this potential comes profound responsibility. Our challenge is not merely to adopt new technologies but to do so thoughtfully, ethically, and with an unwavering commitment to patient well-being.

The future of behavioral health is not about technology replacing human care—it’s about technology expanding and enhancing our capacity for compassion, understanding, and healing.

Deep Dive Into the Trends

Curious about how these technologies impact care, how the regulatory landscape is changing to meet the new paradigm, or how AI can help super-charge efforts to bring new medications to market? Join our webinar on January 31, 2025 at 3PM ET / 12PM PT to discuss 2025 trends and what it means for healthcare.

Read more about behavioral health and technology on the Videra Health blog.

2025 Trends in Behavioral Health Technology, Part 1

Two hands - one human, one robotic - pointing to 2025

The First Three Trends

As we enter 2025, the behavioral health technology landscape is on the cusp of a revolution, with artificial intelligence (AI), digital tools, and innovative approaches poised to dramatically reshape how mental health services are delivered, accessed, and personalized. I expect these first three key emerging trends will fundamentally alter the healthcare ecosystem.

Expanding Access and Democratizing Behavioral Health Care with Technology

Digital health technologies are emerging as powerful democratizing forces in healthcare delivery. For populations historically marginalized—rural communities, economically constrained individuals, and underserved demographic groups—AI and digital platforms represent more than technological solutions. They are bridges to care, pathways to understanding, and tools of empowerment.

These technologies are not about replacing human connection but extending its reach. By breaking down geographical, economic, and systemic barriers, they create opportunities for more inclusive, accessible behavioral health support. Intelligent systems can now provide initial screenings, offer preliminary support, and guide individuals towards appropriate resources with unprecedented sensitivity and efficiency.

The Precision Medicine of Behavioral Health

The era of one-size-fits-all treatment is rapidly dissolving. Artificial intelligence is ushering in a new paradigm of precision behavioral healthcare, where treatment plans are as unique as the individuals receiving them. By analyzing complex, multi-dimensional datasets, AI can now recommend care pathways with a level of personalization that was once the domain of highly specialized, resource-intensive approaches.

This isn’t about algorithmic replacement of clinical judgment but about providing clinicians with powerful, nuanced tools for understanding and supporting patient well-being. Each recommendation is a collaborative insight, bridging technological sophistication with human empathy.

Navigating the Ethical Considerations in the Human-Technology Interface

As we embrace these transformative technologies, we must remain vigilant about maintaining the core ethical principles of healthcare. Artificial intelligence and digital tools are powerful assistants, not autonomous decision-makers. They augment human capability, illuminate hidden insights, and create opportunities for more profound, more personalized care.

The most successful approaches will be those that view behavioral health technology not as a replacement for human interaction but as a sophisticated tool for enhancing our collective capacity for understanding, compassion, and healing.

Read part two of my Top Trends for 2025 here.