(2020-01-17) Why We Launched Cerebral A Mental Health Telemedicine Company

Kyle Robertson: Why We Launched Cerebral, a Mental Health Telemedicine Company. What do I know about this? When I was 16, I started feeling different. I felt isolated and alone, regardless of how many people I was surrounded by at any given time.

both of my parents had made careers out of empathy: my dad as a psychiatrist and my mom as a psychotherapist.

we began digging into some of the gaps in access to mental health treatment, like average initial consultations of $500, inhumane wait times, and the lack of ongoing support many experience when taking psychiatric medication and managing potential side effects

The client signs up for a comprehensive subscription, which allows them to schedule an initial visit to be held via a video visit within days of signing up. This is in contrast to 3 month average wait times to see a psychiatrist in traditional practice.

If the client is prescribed medication during that visit, it is mailed to them every month in discreet packaging

In traditional practice, prescribing providers often lack the time to check in with the client with enough regularity and to properly support the client through potential side effects of the medication. With the introduction of care managers in our model, a member of our care team can have a live video call with the client at least once per month to make sure that we are helping them track towards positive results and manage any side effects that may occur.

During monthly calls and more, care managers may employ evidence-based techniques such as behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, and motivational interviewing.

One of the unique benefits of the Cerebral model of care is the utilization of standardized metrics to measure outcomes. Every month, clients respond to standardized clinical symptom-rating scales which, coupled with video check-in calls with a care manager, allow the client and clinical team alike to track progress over time.