Medeo and AnxietyBC partner to improve mental health access and treatment

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - May 5, 2014 - PRLog -- Medeo and AnxietyBC are proud to announce a partnership that will increase

awareness and education of Medeo, a virtual care technology that helps both patients and practitioners better manage mental health care through private online video visits. Virtual care tools, like Medeo, use remote consultations and electronic health records to increase connectivity while reducing time pressure and geographical barriers to care.

Mental illness doesn’t discriminate; A study conducted by the Canadian Mental Health

Association in 2013 reported that 20% of Canadians will experience mental illnesses in their lifetime. To date, three of the top four submitted issues for seeing practitioners on Medeo’s platform have been related to mental health, including anxiety and depression.

“AnxietyBC is excited to collaborate with Medeo to implement diagnostic and management best practices into the Medeo platform,” said Amir Rasheed, President of the Board of Directors of AnxietyBC. “Providing physicians access to evidence based diagnosis and treatment of anxiety is a key objective of AnxietyBC.”

One of the largest barriers to mental health management is the stigma that exists around it. Being behind a computer or tablet can help patients open up about their health. It’s a way to communicate that can reduce anxiety or fear, enabling patients to get the help they need in a way that is natural to them.

“Anxiety is a condition that can affect your entire life.” said Dr. Matthew Chow, a psychiatrist who has used Medeo to connect with his patients. “Virtual care technology like Medeo can have a very positive effect on the management of mental health.”

Medeo makes it possible for someone with anxiety to not have to leave a comfortable place such as home yet still speak facetoface with a physician or counsellor over a computer or mobile device. All they need to do is find a few minutes in a private room.

Using Medeo.ca is easy and takes only minutes. All BC residents can sign up at Medeo.ca. If the patient’s own healthcare provider offers Medeo-based

care, he or she can be connected with that physician. If not, he or she will be connected to one of the other general practitioners available at the time who can

provide guidance and referrals to mental healthcare practitioners if appropriate.

It’s easy for practitioners to get signed up at Medeo.ca to begin seeing their patients online.

Healthcare providers can use Medeo’s technology to prescribe medication, refer a patient to a specialist and upload care plan information. All video visits are private and secure, ensuring the safest way for healthcare to be conducted online.

About Medeo

Medeo is a BC-based company with its head office in Vancouver. Medeo was created to equip doctors with modern technology to ensure all Canadians have access to quality healthcare regardless of their location, mobility or time pressures. Over 400 physicians and healthcare providers are using Medeo to see patients online everyday.

About AnxietyBC

The Anxiety Disorders Association of British Columbia (AnxietyBC™) is a non profit organization which was started in 1999 to increase awareness about anxiety disorders; promote education of the general public, affected persons, and health care providers; and increase access to evidencebased resources and treatments. AnxietyBC's programs are focused on increasing awareness and promoting education and evidencebased treatments related to anxiety disorders. For more information about AnxietyBC, please visit http://www.anxietybc.com/.

Editors: Mental health practitioners who work with Medeo.ca are available for interviews, as well as GPs and some patients who are willing to share their stories.