Engage and Expand Access with Integrated Telehealth

Highland Rivers Behavioral Health stands as a vital public safety net provider in Georgia, offering comprehensive treatment, support, and recovery services to adults, youth, families, and veterans navigating mental health disorders, intellectual developmental disabilities, and addictive diseases. Driven by a commitment to effective and innovative care, Highland Rivers Behavioral Health ensures individuals, regardless of income or insurance status, have access to the resources they need to foster hope, empowerment, and purpose. 

Since 2012, Highland Rivers Behavioral Health has leveraged the power of the Qualifacts® CareLogic electronic health record (EHR), a comprehensive, integrated, and intuitive web-based Software as a Solution (SaaS), to optimize business processes, enhance clinical workflows, and deliver high-quality care. Recognizing the evolving landscape of healthcare and the need for greater client engagement, enhanced communication, and access to healthcare information, Highland Rivers Behavioral Health sought a HIPAA-compliant video solution that seamlessly integrated with their existing EHR. This led them to Qualifacts’ Virtual Care, a comprehensive client engagement tool encompassing integrated telehealth and a robust virtual care patient portal. 

Improving Access and Communication with Telehealth for Behavioral Health

Prior to implementing Virtual Care, Highland Rivers Behavioral Health faced the challenge of operating without a dedicated client portal. This limitation restricted clients’ access to their health information. Furthermore, the reliance on disparate systems for tracking client care created inefficiencies in workflows and communication. 

Seamless Integration and Enhanced Functionality with EHR Virtual Care 

Virtual Care was the ideal solution, offering seamless integration with CareLogic. The integration provided a unified platform, eliminating the need for managing multiple systems and streamlining data management. The comprehensive features of Virtual Care addressed Highland Rivers Behavioral Health’s key challenges and opened new avenues for client engagement: 

• Enhanced Client Access and Engagement: The client portal empowers individuals with greater control over their care journey, providing them with easy access to their information and facilitating secure client communication with their providers. As Jared Marlin, Director of Special Projects and Operations, emphasizes, “The ability for our clients to make informed choices based on accessible visit information has been a significant benefit. We want to provide our clients with seamless care and a similar experience to what they might receive at their primary care facility.” 

• Expanded Reach through Telehealth: Highland Rivers Behavioral Health has significantly broadened its reach by offering convenient and accessible care via virtual sessions. The integrated Zoom feature ensures secure and private connections. Marlin highlights the impact, stating, “In our year-to-date data for 2025, we’ve completed over 1,000 appointments using the Virtual Care telehealth feature, effectively breaking down barriers of time and location to better serve our clients.” 

• Improved Communication: Facilitating timely communication through alerts, notifications, and appointment reminder automation. The Broadcast feature enables efficient dissemination of important mass messages. “As of today, Highland Rivers Behavioral Health has utilized Broadcast 15 times, successfully sending 4,885 messages. While frequently used for survey links, Broadcast has also proven vital for critical updates, such as informing individuals of clinic closures due to Hurricane Helene and access disruptions caused by a nearby polling location,” noted Marlin. 

 A Telehealth for Behavioral Health Partnership for Excellence 

“Highland Rivers Behavioral Health’s positive experience with Virtual Care reinforces our strong, long-standing partnership.” Jared Marlin states, “Over the years, we’ve cultivated a highly effective and configurable environment within our Qualifacts solutions, ensuring CareLogic and integrated solutions like Virtual Care precisely support our unique needs and workflows. This deep integration provides significant value, enabling efficient and effective operations, supporting our commitment to expanding access to care.” 

The successful integration of Virtual Care underscores Highland Rivers Behavioral Health’s commitment to forward-thinking, accessible, and client-centered care. Leveraging Qualifacts’ innovative solutions, Highland Rivers Behavioral Health continues to strengthen its position as a leading behavioral health provider, empowering individuals on their journey to recovery and well-being. 

Challenges:

• Lack of Integrated Patient Portal
• Inefficient Tracking of Client Care
• Limited Accessibility and Communication Barriers  

Results:

• Enhanced Client Engagement and Access
• Optimized Communication and Secure Messaging
• Expanded Service Reach and Accessibility

About Highland Rivers Behavioral Health

Highland Rivers Behavioral Health provides comprehensive treatment, support, and recovery services for adults, youth, families, and veterans affected by mental health disorders, intellectual developmental disabilities, and addictive disease. 

The organization is a public safety net provider serving individuals who may have low income, as well as veterans and persons with Georgia state and federal benefits such as Medicaid and Medicare. For uninsured individuals, their services are provided on a sliding fee scale based on income. 

Highland Rivers Behavioral Health prides itself on providing effective, innovative care and appropriate resources to foster hope, empowerment, and purpose.