Comparing the latest telehealth solutions

December 2019

Video conferencing technology enables health professionals to provide services regardless of their location—breaking down a significant barrier to care. As third-party payers are increasingly reimbursing for telehealth services, it has become a viable option for many psychologists to enhance their practice. But how do you find a user-friendly, high-functioning platform that is also HIPAA compliant and won’t break your bank?

Our panel of psychologists rate and review three popular telehealth platforms to help you find one that might be the right fit.

Doxy.me casts itself as an easy-to-use, secure telemedicine tool that is available on any device without requiring a download. Its free version is fully functional, HIPAA compliant and includes a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) at no charge, supporting the company's mission to make telemedicine available to everyone. Doxy.me offers two premium versions: One for individual providers at $35 per month and one for clinics at $50 per month per provider. Both premium versions enable psychologists to customize the waiting room with logo, text and videos. The premium versions also offer real-time customer support, file transfer, payment processing, and text and email notifications.

“Doxy.me is easy to use and provides a seamless, HIPAA compliant telehealth experience for both the psychologist and the client. I would recommend the premium version of Doxy.me to psychologists who want an intuitive, high-resolution telehealth platform. I particularly enjoy the customization feature that the premium version provides, because it helps the client feel secure knowing they are in the appropriate waiting room with the practice logos and other identifying information. I rate the free version as a 4 out of 5: The customer service would be more effective if they offered support either by telephone or by chat. I appreciate the peace of mind that comes with knowing that if problems arise, there is immediate support with the premium version, especially given the sensitivity of our work” —Kristi K. Phillips, PsyD

“I have been using Doxy.me for the past three years and would definitely recommend it to other practitioners. Doxy is easy to use, especially from the client perspective. Doxy provides the best value for the money as it is free and offers a free BAA. It provides security and data-encryption for all users. I love that Doxy’s mission is to make telehealth available to everyone!” — Charmain F. Jackman, PhD

thera-LINK describes itself as a HIPAA secure video platform created by therapists for therapists. In addition to useful features such as payment processing, custom waiting rooms and patient self-scheduling, thera-LINK’s Plus and Ultimate plans offer a public listing for consumers who are looking for a telepsychology provider. After a 15-day free trial, thera-LINK offers three tiers of services: 

• Basic at $30 includes five  sessions per month for one provider and a scheduler. 
• Plus at $45 per month per provider includes unlimited sessions, secure file sharing, advanced payment and scheduling options and office manager accounts. 
• Ultimate at $65 per month per provider includes all the features of the Plus package along with session and client notes, secure messaging and a branded portal.

“thera-LINK is a tailored telehealth service for mental health providers, especially those who may want to develop a regular telepsychology practice. A better range of service options is available in the plus and ultimate plans for not too much additional cost. thera-LINK has the capability to be used on any device; however, it only works well on WiFi and on well-charged devices or those that have a readily available power source. thera-LINK is fairly easy to customize and personalize. Customer service is highly responsive and easy to access through messaging, even while in a session, to trouble shoot.” —JoAnna Romero Cartaya, PhD

“I would not generally recommend this software at this time, at least if the psychologist is on a Mac platform. It did not deliver the actual audio-video functionality that one would expect to be at the core of this program. Also, the app was what many would consider out-of-date; the current version appeared to be at least one year old. In contrast, much of the set-up and processing features (e.g., client set-up and payment processing) seemed very straightforward, and customer service is very quick to respond. If a psychologist is looking for an intuitively easy-to-start-up telepsychology platform, thera-LINK may require an investment of time in educating oneself on the operation of the system and ensuring patients are equipped to utilize its technical features.” — Kevin D. Arnold, PhD, ABPP

Zoom is a video conferencing platform with separate products tailored to different industries. Its telehealth solution is HIPAA compliant and promises to deliver consistently high-quality video, regardless of bandwidth, with software that integrates smoothly into the technology and workflow of health professionals. Also included are video conferencing features for internal communications such as meetings and trainings. To ensure protection from security breaches, providers will need to sign up for the Zoom Healthcare business plan, which includes a BAA and starts at $200/month.

“Zoom Healthcare is versatile, easy to use and highly customizable, providing multiple functions in addition to patient care. The service works on all devices and performs well even under low bandwidth conditions. It is HIPAA compliant, with high security and privacy standards. This is a high-performing telehealth service; however. However, it is quite expensive for those who may have smaller to midsize practices or clinics. For those who are midsize to large and may use Zoom Healthcare for multiple purposes (i.e., training, recording capability, meetings, consultation, seminars, groups and integration with EHR, etc.) the price point is of high value.” — JoAnna Romero Cartaya, PhD

“Zoom offers a high level of security with a pricey BAA. The platform is easy to navigate for both providers and clients, offering some unique features such as audio transcription. For a small practice where telehealth is used primary for individual, group or family therapy, Zoom would not be the best option from a financial perspective, as there are more reasonably priced plans available elsewhere. However, for large practices with video conferencing needs beyond therapy, Zoom might be just right for you.” — Charmain F. Jackman, PhD

(categories rated from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most positive score)

Applications reviewed November 2019

This column discusses various software and applications available to psychologists for their professional use. The views expressed in this column are the views of the authors and do not reflect the views of the American Psychological Association or any of its divisions or subunits. All authors have no financial interests in the apps or software discussed. APA does not recommend or endorse any practitioners, products, procedures, opinions or other information that may be mentioned in this column; those who use these applications or products do so at their own risk. Please direct updates and feedback about apps to Communications Office Staff.