Why Your Next Therapist Could Be a Freelancer (And Why That's Okay)

Today, doctors can make a new kind of “house call”: A virtual appointment taking place in someone’s home. Telehealth options have exploded since the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than a third (37%) of American adults interacting with a provider in this way in the last year, according to the CDC. Now, patients expect convenient, virtual options when they work with a healthcare provider—whether that’s chat, video, or over the phone. 

But these telemedicine clinicians aren’t usually full-time, salaried employees at a hospital or doctor’s office. 

They’re independent contractors. 

These doctors, nurses, and specialists are providing a new kind of medical care powered by technological advancements, growing patient demand, and a desire for flexibility and freedom at work.

The Telehealth Revolution Is Already Here 

Telehealth isn’t actually new—35% of hospitals had a telehealth option as early as 2010—but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its adoption by both providers and patients. Telemedicine appointments increased by 154% from 2020-2022. Patients can now access digital records, make appointments, request prescription refills, and speak with a healthcare provider without ever stepping foot in a doctor’s office.

Providers often think about accessible healthcare in terms of social determinants: Things like safe transportation, reliable childcare, or clinic availability. Technology improves access to care in a new way, whether that’s using wearable devices for monitoring chronic illnesses or online platforms that allow patients to check-in regularly with their care team. 

Now, digital health platforms like Grow Therapy—which recently raised $88 million in a Series C—directly connect patients with providers. Last year, digital health companies raised a collective $5 billion, while the industry is poised to reach a $266.8 billion valuation by 2026. We’re seeing a major wave of growth in the healthcare industry, and it’s powered by telemedicine.

The Future of Work Meets Healthcare

A new healthcare model – “business-in-a-box” – has emerged in recent years, giving providers a chance to achieve their dream of successfully starting their own practice—including setting their own hours, finding clients they enjoy working with, and getting paid more quickly. 76% of doctors told the Royal College of Physicians that they’d like to work from home.

But it also meets changing patient demands. Patients expect a more transparent, easy-to-use healthcare experience similar to the rest of their digital footprint. If they can chat customer support reps with questions or hop on video calls for work—why not with their doctor? For care that doesn’t require a physical exam, digital options are quickly becoming more popular. 60% of behavioral health patients prefer to use telemedicine, for example. 

Using independent, “non-employee” clinicians give companies a better way to scale, meet demand, and grow more sustainably. Mental health startup Cerebral plans to grow its clinician base to 10,000, more than quadrupling their current employees. A distributed workforce of independent providers gives them the ability to match patient demand in real-time. They can connect patients and providers within a week, well below the national average. That’s time that can literally mean life or death.

The Growth Imperative for Telehealth Companies: Attracting and Retaining Providers 

Many providers naturally focus on growing their patient base and capitalizing on the surge in telehealth demand. But they need to also pay attention to the “product” side of their platform: providers.

As telehealth continues to grow at historic levels, so does the pressure on healthcare providers to find winning strategies to attract and retain 1099 clinicians and other mental health professionals. Telehealth companies must prioritize the provider experience by offering:

• Competitive rates in exchange for their services
• Reliable payments that providers can count on receiving on time and in full
• Administrative support, including an easy way for providers to get onboarded, paid, and to track their taxes and 1099 forms

What makes a platform stand out for a provider? Whether or not it makes their lives easier. A typical onboarding experience requires multiple rounds of paperwork, e-signatures, and sign-off from multiple departments. Using outdated, time-intensive tools and processes better suited to working with full-time staff turns off new providers. It’s frustrating for both parties. And it’s wasting time and money.

Stacy Thiry, a licensed mental health counselor, recently shared his experience using the Grow Therapy platform. “They take all of the leg work out of building the practice, generating the clients and the insurance billing so that you can really get out there and start helping people.” 

The best telehealth companies make things as easy as possible for providers, which ultimately position them to deliver better care to their patients. This is one of the reasons we started Wingspan, to eliminate this kind of administrative labyrinth for companies employing contractors at scale. 

Transforming back-office operations to prioritize the provider experience is the first step to maximizing the incredible growth potential of this healthcare model. The winning strategy for telehealth companies requires making investments that support providers so they can focus on delivering high-quality care. 

The companies that deliver a seamless provider experience are the ones that will in turn deliver the best care for their patients—which is why they do what they do, after all.

To learn more about how Wingspan helps telehealth companies onboard and pay their providers 4x faster, visit www.wingspan.app/telehealth.

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