TUKWILA, Wash.— Genoa, a QoL Healthcare company, has launched Genoa Telepsychiatry with its acquisition of 1DocWay, the nation’s largest outpatient telepsychiatry provider that offers an easy-to-use platform to connect mental health providers and patients.

Genoa says that it is continually looking for ways to innovate and better serve the behavioral health community and that many community mental health centers that work with it are facing increased demand for support.

One significant barrier to fulfilling that need is the nationwide psychiatry staffing shortage. Telepsychiatry, says Genoa, provides a solution to the gaps in supply and demand for mental health services, including psychiatrist ­availability.

Providing psychiatry services through telemedicine has been demonstrated to be well received by both consumers and providers.

“There are currently over 4,000 mental health professional shortage areas nationally, and we will need to be creative to solve this problem. Genoa has worked with our partners for over 15 years to deliver innovative solutions for the unique needs of the behavioral health community. When our partners suggested that we help them find novel remedies to their shortage of psychiatrists, we set out to find ways to assist. We believe telepsychiatry can be a key answer, as its early adopters have touted its acceptance and efficacy in delivering accessible and quality mental health care,” said Mark Peterson, executive vice president of strategy and corporate development at Genoa. “The shortage of psychiatrists is a major issue in the behavioral health industry, and the addition of 1DocWay’s team and tools will help us provide a solution to this challenge.”

Genoa is a leading behavioral health specialty pharmacy, integrating pharmacists into the care team to improve outcomes and reduce costs. Offering telepsychiatry as an extension of existing high-touch medication management services underscores its commitment to the behavioral health community, notes Genoa.

“We chose 1DocWay because they are experts in the field of telepsychiatry, having built the nation’s largest outpatient telepsychiatry network, and they are innovators in technology,” said John Figueroa, chief executive officer of Genoa.