Harvard Health Services reported a decrease in the number of virtual patient visits in fiscal year 2023 compared to 2022, according to the provider’s annual report released Wednesday.
According to the report, of the 119,000 total visits in fiscal year 2023, 20% (approximately 24,000 visits) were conducted via telemedicine, a slight increase from fiscal year 2022, when telemedicine accounted for 23% of visits. decreased to The physical therapy department returned to full on-site treatment last year and saw a 5 percent increase in visitor numbers, according to the report.
In response to student complaints about insufficient mental health resources, HUHS expanded its digital care offerings, including the addition of TimelyCare, a teletherapy and health coaching platform, in October 2022.
During the reporting period, TimelyCare enrolled approximately 2,500 students and made a total of 5,500 visits, including telepsychiatry and health coaching appointments. As students’ mental health treatment options expand, Harvard’s Counseling and Mental Health Services made just over 20,000 student visits, down from about 23,000 in the 2022 report.
As the number of visits increased in 2023 compared to the previous year, HUHS continues to expand its staff to include a full 58 staff, including one case manager, an additional podiatrist, two orthopedic surgeons, and a dermatology nurse. Newly hired in time. and the allergy team.
According to the report, more than 150 additional appointments will be made each month due to increased staffing.
The report also includes the creation of the EDIB Committee and the launch of the Diversity Dialogue Speaker Series, a quarterly series designed to raise awareness and foster conversation and debate about equity and diversity. It highlights HUHS’s continued commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, including: , inclusion, and belonging,” the report states.
According to the report, 50% of new employees and 59% of promoted employees identify as ethnic minorities.
The Center for Wellness and Health Promotion, which hosts individual and group health workshops, services and classes, has seen significant growth in the last year, with 1,700 students participating in health education workshops and programs launched in the fall. We hosted 42 events led by wellness educators. 2021.
The center also reported a total of 6,800 massage and acupuncture visits, as well as the launch of a new “neighborhood-based wellness coaching pilot” that will provide individual and group wellness coaching to students at the college.
This year marks HUHS’s 125th anniversary, and the report says it is committed to “adopting a unified approach to deliver excellent services in an equitable and inclusive manner, with input from the broader communities we serve. , which highlights the provider’s continued commitment to “university medical services that maximize team effectiveness.” and act as leaders in our profession. ”
HUHS Director Giang T. Nguyen said in the report that HUHS has “experienced many changes” and “grown as an organization” over the past year.
“This has been a journey shaped by successes, obstacles, and lessons,” he wrote. “Through it all, we have evolved while remaining focused on providing excellent care and public health resources.”
—Staff writer Alex Chou can be reached at alex.chou@thecrimson.com.
—Staff writer Camilla J. Martinez can be reached at camilla.martinez@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @camillajinm.
