Rural Health Transformation
Proven, evidence based program for expanding access to mental health care while reducing Medicaid expense
Our Mission
Today 1 in 5 adults is living with a mental health condition, yet nearly half of U.S. counties have no practicing psychiatrists—a fact that is disproportionately affecting our rural communities.
States preparing to submit Rural Health Transformation applications now have the opportunity to change this reality. By including a Statewide Telepsychiatry Program modeled after North Carolina’s NC-STeP, you can reduce Medicaid spend, improve patient outcomes and access to mental health care, and decrease ER congestion by avoiding unnecessary transfers and admissions, and shortening length of stay for patients in acute psychiatric crisis.
Strengthening Rural Health Transformation Applications with Statewide Telepsychiatry Programs
- Strong alignment with the 10 objectives of the Rural Health Transformation program
- Proven sustainment plan post RHT funding
- Ready for rapid implementation
- Evidence based with measurable and reportable results
- Low risk, high reward with a 3:1 ROI for the state
The Model:
North Carolina’s Statewide Telepsychiatry Program
With ViTel Net as their technology and technical support partner, East Carolina University has developed a proven, replicable model for launching successful statewide telepsychiatry programs. This approach has delivered significant cost savings to the state while dramatically expanding access to mental health care in rural communities.
Built on best practices, operational and clinical frameworks, and funding strategies, this model provides a clear roadmap for other states to follow. With ongoing guidance from the leadership of NC-STeP, states can implement and sustain high-impact telepsychiatry programs—delivering real solutions to the growing mental health crisis and ensuring care reaches those who need it most.
The model supports crisis care and treatment in community and critical access hospital emergency departments and extends to preventative care with psychiatric support for primary care in community health clinics and FQHCs.
Get Started!
And the results tell a powerful story
$57 Million in Savings
The state of North Carolina saved an average of $5.7M in avoidable Medicaid expense per year over ten years (more than 3:1 ROI) through NC-STeP
34% Reduction in Involuntary Commitments
More than a third of ED cases ordered for involuntary commitment to a psychiatric hospital have been overturned when evaluated by a STeP psychiatrist.
50% Reduction in Length of Stay
Psychiatric patient length of stay in the ED has been cut in half where STeP is implemented, freeing beds faster to care for more patients.
Powerful capability designed to scale statewide programs
As NC-STeP’s strategic technical partner, our platform has delivered the flexibility needed to support the program at scale
Web Portal & Collaboration
Multi-EHR Integration
Reporting & Analytics
Web Portal & Collaboration
Our configurable web portal supports workflow and documentation for your team ensuring secure access and automated efficiency. It also enables embedded web based videoconferencing capability so clinicians can start video sessions to registered endpoints at partner sites while leveraging on-demand language interpretation.
Multi-EHR Integration
Our platform integrates with your community partner site EHRs using CDA via DIRECT for simplified implementation and secure transmission of patient data to the STeP providers and enables automated results back to the referring site’s EHR.
Reporting & Analytics
Robust reporting and analytics are built into your program to track and report on STeP’s impact and outcomes.(e.g. Timers are kept for each state in the encounter lifecycle to report and manage against program response time goals)
Let’s tackle the mental health crisis in your state together
With consultation from the leaders of NC-STeP, a proven and pre-configured technology platform, and physician services organization partners at the ready, we provide the framework to make a STeP for your state a strong component of your Rural Health Transformation plan—complete with a sustainability plan to ensure success beyond RHT program funding.