Does Talkiatry work? We did the research.

Talkiatry was founded to expand access to quality mental health care. We do that in a few ways. One of the most important is making care available virtually. We also offer longer appointments (and follow-ups) that give our patients the chance to develop a therapeutic alliance with their doctors to improve outcomes. But how effective is it? We fielded a study and the results are in: Most patients with anxiety or depression (among the most common conditions psychiatrists treat) no longer reported clinically significant symptoms after an average of just five visits.

Key results

In our research, one figure stood out. In patients with anxiety or depression, 65% no longer reported clinically significant symptoms.* (That asterisk will lead you to a long citation that we’ll explain in the next section.)

How we got those numbers

We conducted this study using the same rigorous standards that govern all high-quality medical research. An outside Institutional Review Board approved our hypothesis and research methodology. Then we took anonymized data from a large population of Talkiatry patients (1,826 to be exact) who were diagnosed with either anxiety or depression. We measured if they felt better, and by how much.

To do that we use what are called ‘clinical scales.’ (If you’re a patient, you may already be familiar with these from the surveys we send you to check in.) They’re short, standardized questionnaires that give patients the chance to document how they feel. For anxiety, the most common clinical scale is the GAD-7. For depression, it’s the PHQ-8.  

We measured the change in patients’ self-reported scores over the course of their treatment. Sixty-five percent saw a reduction to scores that were below 10, meaning a patient reported either no symptoms or mild symptoms.

Treatment at Talkiatry

We’re incredibly proud of that figure, and what it means for our patients. We commend our psychiatrists, therapists, and other clinicians for their dedication to their patients’ health and well-being. We believe our approach gives people a meaningful way to prioritize their mental health and get the care they deserve. Here’s what that looks like:

Virtual visits: Virtual visits allow patients to receive care from home or any private place they feel comfortable. No commute time. No waiting room. This flexibility makes it easier for people to schedule and continue their care.  

Time to talk: We believe that building trust between the patient and doctor leads to better outcomes. Our visits are longer to provide time for patients and doctors to ask questions and collaborate on care.  

Medication management: Medications can be incredibly effective at helping alleviating the symptoms of mental health conditions so that patients can better cope with daily life. Every patient at Talkiatry gets an initial hour-long evaluation (longer for minors) so their doctor can provide the most accurate diagnosis and treatment plan, including any medications they believe could benefit the patient.  

Getting started at Talkiatry

If you think Talkiatry might be right for you, the best way to get started is with our online assessment. It takes about 10 minutes to complete. We’ll ask you about how you’re feeling and your medical history. Based on your answers, we’ll match you with a psychiatrist who’s the best fit for you. All our doctors take insurance, and you can schedule your first visit in just days.  

*Person C, O'Connor N, Koehler L, Venkatachalam K, Gaveras G; Evaluating Clinical Outcomes in Patients Being Treated Exclusively via Telepsychiatry: Retrospective Data Analysis; JMIR Form Res 2023;7:e53293; URL: https://formative.jmir.org/2023/1/e53293; DOI: 10.2196/53293.

Outcomes data based on retrospective study of de-identified data from 1,826 Talkiatry patients who completed GAD7 or PHQ8 at their first visit and one subsequent visit. The first visit was between 2/1/23 and 5/26/23. ‘Not clinically significant' defined as a GAD7/PHQ8 score less than 10.