# Overcoming Behavioral Health Challenges: Iris Telehealth’s Technology-Driven Approach

By Kevin Stevenson · Published 2025-01-29 · Updated 2026-05-19 · Healthcare on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/healthcare/overcoming-behavioral-health-challenges-iris-telehealths-technology-driven-approach
Creator hub: I Don't Care

> Virtual care platforms are shortening wait times and reaching underserved populations by connecting patients with behavioral health providers faster than tradit

## Key points

- Iris Telehealth uses machine learning to prioritize high-risk patients in referral queues and predict clinical needs during encounters.
- The company operates virtual behavioral health services across 43 states, targeting rural communities and resource-limited settings.
- Iris embeds its telehealth services directly into hospital EMR systems to support care continuity from emergency departments to outpatient therapy.

Block Field

Behavioral health challenges have intensified nationwide, with wait times for care stretching months and access in rural areas remaining inadequate. Telehealth innovations are emerging as a crucial bridge to close these gaps, particularly in behavioral health. The stakes are high and according to the [2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)](https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2023-nsduh-annual-national-report?utm_source=chatgpt.com), 22.8% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in the past year, yet significant barriers to accessing care persist

> 22.8% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in the past year, yet significant barriers to accessing care persist

How can telehealth providers tackle these systemic inefficiencies while expanding access?

This episode of [*I Don't Care with Dr. Kevin Stevenson*](https://marketscale.com/shows/i-dont-care/) features [Andy Flanagan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-flanagan-715923/), CEO of **Iris Telehealth**. Flanagan brings his extensive experience in healthcare and technology to discuss how telehealth is revolutionizing behavioral health. The conversation dives into how **Iris Telehealth** uses innovative tools like AI and machine learning to optimize referral queues, enhance care continuity through embedded EMR systems, and expand access in underserved areas, including rural communities.

**Highlights from the Episode**

- **AI in Behavioral Health:** **Iris Telehealth** is leveraging machine learning to optimize referral queues, ensuring patients at the highest risk receive timely intervention. AI tools assist clinicians by predicting patient needs during encounters and providing actionable insights.
- **Tackling Behavioral Health Challenges in Rural Areas**: With virtual services across 43 states, **Iris Telehealth** helps community health centers and hospitals address systemic gaps in behavioral health. Their approach ensures seamless transitions of care and better access in resource-limited settings.
- **Collaborative Care Models:** **Iris** embeds its services into hospital EMRs to enhance care continuity, offering everything from emergency department support to outpatient therapy within the hospital's existing ecosystem.

### About the Guest

**Andrew Flanagan** is an accomplished healthcare and technology executive with expertise in telehealth, cloud software, and medical devices. As CEO of **Iris Telehealth** since 2020, he leads one of the industry's top tele-behavioral health service providers, leveraging over three decades of healthcare leadership to foster innovation and improve access to care. A graduate of Cornell University and the University of Michigan, he has held leadership roles at IMRIS, Siemens Healthineers, and SAP, specializing in scaling customer-focused SaaS and enterprise technologies while driving growth in underserved populations through technology-driven solutions.

Tags: Andy Flanagan, behavioral health, healthcare technology, Iris Telehealth, Telehealth

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