When it comes to investing in mental health software, it’s important to make sure you're getting a good ROI. Quality behavioral health software will be able to support a wide range of processes, settings, and end users. In this article, we’ll discuss the different types of software that can help behavioral health patients get the care they need while also supporting mental health providers and their teams. 

Behavioral health and mental health practices have very different processes and goals than for-profit businesses, so we’ll talk about the key features when looking for software service providers. We’ll also delve into how software can help you hire new staff as well as anticipate staffing challenges and plan ahead for them. 

Mental Health Software: The Electronic Health Record (EHR)

Technology has evolved rapidly over the last several decades. Today, it’s inextricably linked to every aspect of our daily lives. From mobile apps and electronic health records to advanced communication tools and telehealth (telemedicine), modern health tech streamlines health care to make it more efficient and accessible.

As a behavioral health professional, EHR is probably top-of-mind when you hear the words “mental health software.” We agree. ContinuumCloud’s behavioral health EHR is feature-packed, easy to use, and HIPAA-compliant. But it’s only one part of an entire suite of services that make up a larger practice management system. 

A few of the features and functions of EHR include:

• Clinical documentation, treatment and therapy notes, intake notes, progress notes, order sets, consult templates, medication records, and e-prescribing tools
• Revenue cycle management, including billing/invoicing, coding, and accounts receivable
• Over 1200 pre-built templates for faster ad hoc reporting
• Additional wireframe templates for endless customization
• Business intelligence (BI) dashboard to support at-a-glance decision making
• Intuitive mobile apps for patients, staff, and clinicians
• Patient portal to keep your clients engaged in their health

Research finds that technology like ContinuumCloud's EHR software solution eases the transition between care facilities and improves the quality and efficiency of care among residential care patients in substance use programs. 

Improve Access With a Patient Portal

We know that patient portals drive engagement and activation and help promote better outcomes. They also play a role in expanding access to care. 

During the pandemic, while patients’ routine access to their health care providers was limited, portal usage rose across all health care sectors. Whether the trend continues depends on how well the software is designed (or how poorly), its usability, and its efficiency.

Before investing in new software, wouldn't it help to have more insight? 

When researchers started looking into the matter, they discovered one factor that influenced a patient’s successful and continued use of portal usage above all others. That factor was Meaningful Use (MU).

Meaningful Use standards are just what their name implies: a set of benchmarking guidelines created to help health IT professionals design more engaging software to promote the meaningful use of health technology among all users. 

ContinuumCloud’s EHR and patient portal are MU certified (Level III). Because it’s cloud-based, there is nothing to install on your end. Patients can log-in 24/7 and view their health information, upload new documents, request a refill, and book or cancel appointments. 

Optimize Your Communication 

Increasingly, patients prefer text messaging over phone calls, and telehealth (video conferencing). But more than anything, they really want to engage with their providers when and where they choose. 

Research shows that clinicians who embraced the use of technology services like secure text messaging are now seeing improved patient satisfaction scores, and higher rates of compliance. 

ContinuumCloud’s EHR solution includes multiple messaging features that may be used for intra-office communication and while working in the field.

In the past, intra-office communication was hampered due to the physical distance between the front office staff, the clinical team, and the back office. This siloed approach is a company culture killer. 

ContinuumCloud’s software is designed to open the lines of communication so your team can support each other and their patients with more cohesion. Patients can use similar tools to communicate with their providers via instant messaging or chat. 

Shorten Your Revenue Cycle and Increase Efficiency

You became a behavioral health provider because you wanted to help people, not be a bill collector. But the fact is, healthcare is a business and the more solid your business strategy is, the more people you can help.

Most people are not familiar with the coding complexities specific to behavioral health RCM. There are a lot of moving parts to mental health RCM — providing the correct clinical documentation, getting a treatment plan approved, determining benefits and coverage, verifying insurance copays, and addressing denied claims. 

The team at ContinuumCloud created IT solutions, like EHR, RCM, patient engagement, and HCM software exclusively for behavioral health:

• Mental health and wellness 
• Intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Autism 
• Addiction and substance use
• Child and family
• Human services

The right revenue cycle management software can help in many areas. For example, do you need more funding? Use ContinuumCloud’s powerful analytics dashboard to help prepare, analyze, and make sense of the data to support financial decision making. 

Use ContinuumCloud’s revenue cycle management functions to create pixel-perfect reports. Create visually exciting reports to make a bigger impact, right from the dashboard. 

ContinuumCloud behavioral health software has built-in automation and workflows, as well as templates you can customize. Automated appointment reminders are an example of simple automation. Text message reminders are another. View and analyze data in real-time (or near real-time) and get support for behavioral health and mental health care decision-making. 

Revenue cycle management functions are built into ContinuumCloud’s EHR. Popular RCM features include electronic check-in, real-time decision support, medical billing software, e-prescribing, and insurance verification. 

Mental Health Software: Patient Engagement Platform

Research tells us that an engaged patient is one who is an active participant in their health, who engages (or wishes to engage) in shared decision-making. A patient engagement platform is a type of behavioral health software that provides opportunities to grow and learn. 

When you choose ContinuumCloud’s CaredFor app, you’ll have access to the full practice management stack including a fully-realized patient engagement platform.

With communication tools like instant messaging and chat, outpatients have an easy way to stay connected. Your clients, alumni, and family members can also utilize patient education resources, and get peer support 24/7 through a moderated (safer) social media-like platform that is HIPAA-compliant. 

Mental Health Software Helps You Make Great Hires 

Demand for behavioral health services is at an all-time high, yet there’s a shortage of qualified employees. This is putting a lot of pressure on an already maxed-out workforce. The answer is to hire more employees but it’s hard to stand out in such a competitive market.

To remedy the problem, behavioral health managers are turning to a type of mental health software called human capital management (HCM). 

An HCM platform is key to helping you attract, hire, train, and retain quality candidates. A key component of ContinuumCloud's robust human capital management (HCM) system is the applicant tracking feature, which is a searchable database of applicants. The applicant tracking system keeps up with a prospective candidate’s journey from applying through onboarding and until after their probationary period.

Position Control is another function of ContinuumCloud’s HCM. You can use the business intelligence (BI) dashboard to quickly understand which openings you need to fill first based on the criteria that matters to you most. 

Choose a Software Built By Behavioral Health Experts for Behavioral Health Pros

Mental health software is so much more than an electronic health record. ContinuumCloud provides the user-friendly and comprehensive software tools your team needs to manage and grow your practice. In addition to a stellar mental health EHR, ContinuumCloud’s practice management software solutions include revenue cycle management (RCM), mental health billing, a patient engagement platform, and a human capital management (HCM) platform.

Behavioral health is vast with many specialties, subspecialties, and numerous levels of care. When it comes to picking a new technology partner, it’s imperative to choose a company that understands you. 

ContinuumCloud doesn’t offer one-size-fits-all practice management solutions. Our mental health software was created by behavioral health experts for behavioral health professionals like you. Connect with us today to find out how we can help you reach your goals and improve patient care.