Using Mental Health Software To Increase Client Engagement

With everything moving so fast, hustle culture, and less community support, mental health is now becoming a growing concern. This is why we need more accessible and personalized mental health care for people seeking support.

That’s where mental health software platforms come into the picture. These online tools help improve client engagement and the overall therapeutic experience. By offering tailored features, convenient access, and secure communication channels, these platforms empower both therapists and clients to build stronger connections and achieve better outcomes.

This article explores how mental health software can increase client engagement and highlights some of the top platforms available.

How mental health software improves client engagement

New-age mental health software platforms are revolutionizing the way therapists and clients interact. By offering convenient, accessible, and personalized tools, these platforms pave the way for deeper connections and enhance the overall therapeutic experience.

Here’s how mental health software improves client engagement:

• Increased accessibility: Clients can access therapy sessions from the comfort of their own homes, eliminating geographical barriers and making mental healthcare more accessible to those with busy schedules or limited mobility.
• Flexible scheduling: With online platforms, clients can choose appointment times that fit their schedules, reducing the stress of finding childcare or taking time off work.
• Personalized experience: Many mental health platforms offer tools and resources like journaling exercises, mindfulness practices, and cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques that can be customized to meet each client’s needs.
• Improved communication: Clients can now communicate with their therapists between sessions and convey concerns outside their regular appointment time. For example, they can leverage video or audio calls to build rapport and receive a more personalized therapeutic experience.
• Reduced stigma due to anonymity: Online platforms can provide a sense of anonymity, making it easier for clients to seek help without fear of judgment or stigma.
• Cost-effective. By utilizing subscription billing models, many mental health software platforms offer flexible payment options, making it easier for clients to access and continue using the services without financial strain, thus improving engagement and ensuring consistent care.

All in all, these mental health platforms make it easier for clients in many ways to access the support they need and improve their well-being.

5 mental health software tools to improve client engagement

There is a variety of mental health software out there, and it’s important that you find the right one for you. Here are our top picks for mental health software tools that can enhance client engagement and provide effective support:

1.  Practice Better

Practice Better is a practice management and mental health software for therapists and counselors who want to streamline their practice management and optimize the process. It also enables practitioners to schedule appointments, manage calendars, and send reminders to their clients.

Beyond that, it offers features for billing, storing electronic health records, and client communication to improve client engagement and allow both professionals and clients to track their health progress and upcoming sessions. EHRs also help them access patient information securely, including medical history, notes, and treatment plans.

Practice Better also offers native integrations with other healthcare software tools like Apple Health, Fitbit, and more to streamline well-being activities and rituals.

Key Features:

• Billing and insurance: Manage billing, claims, and insurance verification all in one place.
• Client portal: Allows clients to access their information, schedule appointments, and communicate with their therapist securely.
• Telehealth integration: Conduct online therapy sessions through video or audio calls. This telehealth integration saves time and resources for both doctors and clients.
• Customizable templates: Create personalized templates for intake forms, progress notes, and other documentation.
• Analytics and reporting: Track and generate reports to measure practice performance.

Pros:

• It’s both GDPR and HIPAA-compliant to ensure compliance with local government measures for security.
• Practice Better connects seamlessly with other healthcare software.
• It enables electronic signing of consent forms and other documents.
• It provides responsive and helpful assistance.

Cons: 

• While there is a mobile app, it only offers a partial range of features available on the desktop version.
• Some advanced features and API integrations might have some learning curve.

Pricing: 

Starts at $25 per month for up to 10 clients and features like telehealth video chat, invoicing & payments, enhanced food database, barcode scanning, and lab and dispensary integrations. 

2. TherapyNotes

TherapyNotes is a cloud-based mental health platform that provides a central hub for therapists to manage their practice. It also comes with features like appointment scheduling, electronic health records (EHR), billing and insurance management, and secure messaging.

One of the standout features of TherapyNotes is the ability to automate administrative tasks, which allows therapists to save time and focus on providing optimum care to their clients. All these features help therapists streamline their processes, enhance efficiency, and improve client engagement while also ensuring compliance with industry standards.

Key Features: 

• Appointment scheduling: Schedule and manage appointments from a single dashboard and even allow clients to book through a client portal.
• Electronic Health Records: Store and access patient information, including progress notes, treatment plans, and assessments.
• Billing and insurance management: Manage vendor contracts, handle billing processes, submit claims electronically, and track payments, all through a single dashboard.
• Secure messaging: Communicate with clients through a built-in messaging system.
• ePrescribe and medication management: Access patients’ charts and manage and prescribe medications directly from them.

Pros: 

• It’s intuitive and easy to use, even for those who are not very tech-savvy.
• TherapyNotes is HIPAA-compliant and uses advanced security measures to protect patient data.
• TherapyNotes can save therapists time and improve their efficiency.

Cons: 

• While TherapyNotes is generally user-friendly, there are so many different features. Getting used to all these features may take some time.
• The platform can be relatively expensive, especially for smaller practices.

Pricing: 

It starts at $59 per month for one user. The starting plan is suitable for solo practitioners. Plans get more expensive based on the number of users and features.

3. BetterHelp

BetterHelp is an online therapy platform that connects individuals with licensed therapists who specialize in a variety of mental health concerns. One of its best parts is how it personalizes services for different clients, including individual therapy, couples therapy, and therapy for teens.

It also offers a convenient way to receive therapy. Clients just have to answer a few questions to find a credentialled therapist who fits their needs. Once they connect, practitioners and clients can choose to communicate via text, chat, phone, or video. This makes BetterHelp especially suitable for those with difficulty accessing traditional in-person counseling.

Key features: 

• Live video sessions: Conduct face-to-face therapy sessions via video calls.
• Audio sessions: Have therapy sessions over the phone.
• Variety of therapists: Choose from a wide range of therapists with different specialties.
• Affordable pricing: Offers competitive pricing options to make therapy more accessible.
• Additional resources: Access educational articles, quizzes, and other resources to support your mental health journey.

Pros: 

• Clients can access helpful tools and information to support their mental health.
• BetterHelp ensures a secure and confidential environment for therapy sessions.
• With video or audio sessions, both clients and therapists can engage in sessions from the comforts of their homes.

Cons: 

• Not all mental health concerns may be effectively addressed through online therapy.
• It lacks more advanced business features that some of its counterparts have, such as automation and templates.

Pricing: 

Pricing is custom-based. You can also request a demo before committing to the product.

4. TheraNest

TheraNest is another personalized practice management software designed specifically for mental health professionals. It’s aimed at helping therapists, counselors, psychologists, and social workers manage their practices with features like scheduling, billing, documentation, and client communication, among other day-to-day operations of mental health practices.

The tool is cloud-based, allowing you to access it from anywhere, making it especially useful for remote or hybrid therapy sessions. TheraNest is popular among solo practitioners, small practices, and larger organizations because of its flexibility and scalability.

TheraNest’s unique selling point is its focus on creating a personalized and engaging experience for both therapists and clients. It also allows you to create personalized client portals with branded designs and tailored content to optimize client engagement.

Key Features: 

• Client surveys and feedback: Collect client feedback to improve your practice, better understand their needs, and provide tailored solutions to issues.
• Progress tracking and reporting: Monitor client progress and generate personalized reports to share with clients and insurance companies.
• Goal setting and tracking: Help clients set and track their goals, giving them a sense of direction and motivation.
• Client messaging and scheduling: Offer convenient communication and scheduling options to streamline the therapeutic process.
• Document templates and automation: Create and automate document templates to save time and ensure consistency.
• Insurance verification and billing: Simplify the billing process and manage insurance claims efficiently.

Pros: 

• It provides tools to build stronger relationships between patients and therapists.
• It protects patient data and ensures compliance with healthcare regulations, including HIPAA regulation.

Cons: 

• There are limited customization options as compared to many of its counterparts.
• The reports and progress notes feature is relatively standard and could be made more advanced.

Pricing: 

Starts at $42 per month for up to 30 clients. You can also opt for the annual program that starts at $460 per year, with the initial month free of cost.

5. Practice Fusion

Practice Fusion is a cloud-based EHR system best suited for small to medium-sized practices, including mental health providers. It offers features like customizable chart notes, e-prescribing, and the ability to connect with local pharmacies, laboratories, and imaging centers, among other features, to streamline patient management and improve the overall efficiency of healthcare services.

Practice Fusion is also widely used by healthcare professionals for its ability to integrate with various other tools and user-friendly interface. One of its best parts is how it offers different tools for doctors, patients, partners, and developers—tailored to their specific needs and preferences. 

Key features: 

• Streamline charting: Streamline your charting process with customizable templates, patient charts in the cloud, and shortcuts designed to save time.
• Online prescription management: Manage prescriptions, including controlled substances and those requiring prior authorization, and send electronic prescriptions to any e-prescribing-enabled pharmacy in the country.
• Billing and insurance: Manage billing, claims, and insurance verification, including electronic claims submission and payment posting.
• Clinical decision support: Receive alerts and reminders for preventive care, medication interactions, and other clinical guidelines.

Pros: 

• Practice Fusion is HIPAA-compliant, which means it protects patient data and ensures compliance with healthcare regulations.
• Its e-prescribing features especially help improve client engagement.

Cons: 

• While it does offer some basic features for client communication and scheduling, it’s not as focused on enhancing client engagement as other platforms.
• It’s relatively more expensive than many other tools on the market.
• Practice Fusion requires annual commitment from the get-go.

Pricing: 

It starts at $149 per provider per month.

Features to prioritize in mental health software

Here are some essential features that mental health software should prioritize to increase client engagement:

• Customization: Mental health software should offer customizable options to tailor the platform to individual needs and preferences. For example, users should be able to choose their own theme, set reminders, and select preferred communication methods.
• Analytics: The software should provide detailed reporting and analytics tools to track client progress and measure the effectiveness of therapy sessions. This can help therapists identify areas for improvement and create treatment plans based on the progress.
• Teletherapy: Offering teletherapy capabilities is a must for accessibility and convenience. This allows clients to access mental health services from anywhere, at any time, making it easier to get therapy despite a busy schedule or the inability to visit a therapist in person.
• Integration with other platforms: The software should offer native integrations with other platforms like EHRs or scheduling software to streamline workflows and grow your business.
• Secure messaging: A secure messaging system and government-regulated compliance allow both therapists and clients to have private and confidential communication. This can help build trust and facilitate ongoing support.

Over to you!

Mental health software improves client engagement with features like customization, teletherapy, and secure messaging. Coupled with these features and easy accessibility, these platforms help therapists and clients build stronger connections and improve their mental well-being.

If you’re a practitioner looking to grow your business, HealthSoul is a great mental health marketing software that can help therapists connect with more clients.