Brown Bird Design
If you tear your ACL, it’s easy to find the right specialist. When the problem is OCD, though, things can get tricky. “Mental wellness treatment hasn’t been broken down into specialties,” says former Wall Street trader Melissa Thompson. That’s the idea behind her new business, TalkSession, a website that connects patients to mental health care providers.
The site lets users vet caregivers based on needs and specialties, and a diagnostic patient questionnaire seeks compatibility in communication styles and outside interests. Then patient and practitioner connect via TalkSession’s video platform—no couch required.
There are hurdles. For one, doctors’ licenses aren’t portable between states, even over Wi-Fi. And fewer than 20 states force private insurance to reimburse telemedicine. Many states have bills in the works, though, so e-serenity might not be far off.
