Becker’s Payer Issues Podcast Inside PsychPlus: Scaling Behavioral Health Nationwide
Mar 27, 2026
Dr. Faisal Tai, a board-certified psychiatrist and founder of PsychPlus, builds vertically integrated behavioral health models and tech to boost access and coordination. He discusses fragmented systems, the need for unified platforms, EHR and handoff problems, and strategies to reduce ER use and lower total cost of care.
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Contracting Confusion Exposes Provider Fragmentation
- Dr. Faisal Tai described contracting confusion where a health plan thought it had enough providers but their CMO still called him for patient placements.
- The story revealed fragmentation: many solo clinicians exist but lack a unified platform to connect patients to care quickly.
Platform Fragmentation Not Provider Shortage
- The core access problem in mental health is platform fragmentation, not necessarily provider shortage.
- Like Uber, a unifying technology can reduce friction so nearby clinicians become rapidly accessible to patients.
Paper Charts Create Huge Data And Handoff Waste
- Many mental health hospitals still use paper charts because they were excluded from prior EHR incentives, creating massive data gaps.
- That lack of electronic records causes redundant meds/labs and broken handoffs at discharge, increasing waste and poor outcomes.