“BetterHelp”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

BetterHelp is an online portal that provides direct-to-consumer access to behavioral health services. The online counseling and therapy services are provided through web-based interaction as well as phone and text communication.^[1] BetterHelp was founded in 2013 by Alon Matas and Danny Bragonier, and acquired by Teladoc, Inc. in 2015. BetterHelp maintained its brand name post acquisition and continues to provide online counseling services to consumers.

History

BetterHelp was founded by Alon Matas in 2013, after he faced personal challenges finding professional counseling services that accommodated his schedule. With the mission of helping all those facing similar challenges in gaining access to professional counseling, Matas partnered with co-founder Danny Bragonier to develop BetterHelp’s web-based counseling portal and therapist directory.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}} Revenue had reached a projected $60 million by 2018.^[2]

Services

BetterHelp is a web-based platform that allows patients to interact with counselors and therapists online in a private web-based setting. Client and patient are provided a dedicated "room" on its website, which acts as a private and secure online portal for communication.^[3] The “room” is open 24/7 and can be accessed from any Internet-connected device from any physical location.^[4]

Acquisition

In 2015, BetterHelp was acquired by Teladoc, Inc., a telehealth company that uses telephone and videoconferencing technology to provide on-demand remote therapy. Teledoc acquired BetterHelp for $3.5 million in cash and a $1.0 million promissory note, with an agreement to make annual payments to the sellers equal to 15% of the total net revenue generated by the BetterHelp business for each of the next three years.^[5]

YouTube

BetterHelp sponsored several YouTube personalities for advertising. A dispute arose in October 2018 after Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg) criticized BetterHelp as a scam after one of the YouTubers sponsored by BetterHelp got into a feud with PewDiePie; additionally, some Youtubers raised concerns that personal promotion of mental health services for sponsor money was of questionable ethics.^[6]^[7]

References

1. ^Furhlinger, Josh. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/all-you-can-text-therapy-services-1413398763?KEYWORDS=JOSHUA+FRUHLINGER All-You-Can-Text Therapy Services] The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 30 March 2016
2. ^{{cite news |title=Vulnerable Patients Exposed To 'Growth At Any Cost' Culture |url=https://seekingalpha.com/article/4216391-vulnerable-patients-exposed-growth-cost-culture |accessdate=8 November 2018 |publisher=Seeking Alpha |date=1 November 2018}}
3. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/text-therapy-app-talkspace-prescribe-drugs-2018-4|title=An app that links you to a therapist by text has plans for a major expansion — starting with prescribing drugs}}
4. ^Martinez, Nikki Psy.D., LCP. Coping With a Cancer Diagnosis. Tips for the Patient, and Those Who Love Them The Huffington Post Retrieved 12 October 2015
5. ^Dolan, Brian Teladoc IPO filing reveals 299,000 visits last year, details of past acquisitions Mobile Health News. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
6. ^Cecilia D'Anastasio. [https://kotaku.com/top-youtubers-are-taking-heat-for-their-deals-with-a-co-1829655193 Top YouTubers Are Taking Heat For Their Deals With A Controversial Mental Health App]. October 10, 2018.
7. ^Alon Matas [https://medium.com/@alonmatas/when-betterhelp-found-itself-in-a-youtube-controversy-3fd472229a4e When BetterHelp found itself in a Youtube Controversy ] (October 9, 2018).