When Jeff Bezos launched Amazon as an online bookstore in the 1990s, his vision was simple: leverage the limitless nature of the internet to create “the everything store,” capable of offering even the rarest titles that were unavailable in any physical bookshop. That digital-first strategy eventually upended retail itself, delivering unprecedented personalization and access to everyone.
Telehealth once promised something similarly revolutionary for mental healthcare. On paper, virtual care should have been the ultimate personalized solution. Struggling with PTSD and autism simultaneously? Or battling depression compounded by an eating disorder? No problem. Telehealth, free from geographical and logistical constraints, could effortlessly connect you with precisely the right clinician for your complex needs.
Yet, despite billions in venture capital investments pouring into digital health platforms, the reality is far removed from that vision. Instead of providing customized, specialist-driven care, most telehealth platforms have gravitated toward a McDonald’s-like, commoditized, one-size-fits-all talk therapy, where, despite claims, patients aren’t matched carefully with a provider; they’re matched with the first available therapist.
The System Fails Families
The founder of My Psych Match experienced this problem firsthand when her son began exhibiting signs of autism. Despite being a licensed mental health clinician herself, navigating the maze of telehealth providers proved to be nearly impossible. Schools dismissed her concerns. Specialists wouldn’t return her calls. Providers were hesitant or felt unqualified to conduct thorough assessments. At one desperate moment, she found herself on the brink of flying from Florida to Utah just to secure an accurate diagnosis. To say the least, the experience was draining, frustrating, and eye-opening.
Ultimately, once they did secure a proper diagnosis, it transformed her son’s life. With clear clinical data, they secured school accommodations such as sensory breaks, quiet spaces during noisy activities, and individualized academic support. Her son shifted from struggling severely, even harming himself in frustration, to thriving in an environment that finally understood him.
This personal journey revealed a hard truth: telehealth had not fulfilled its promise. The existing platforms were failing families, especially those dealing with dual diagnoses or less common conditions. With the market in urgent need of a better approach, My Psych Match was founded, a telepsychiatry platform dedicated to personalized care. Rather than matching patients with any available therapist, they build bespoke teams of specialists tailored to each patient’s unique set of challenges.
The Scale vs. Specialization Dilemma
Across the industry, venture-backed giants like BetterHelp and Talkspace have achieved rapid growth by offering simplified, scalable mental health services. To their credit, they’ve expanded access and normalized therapy for millions. But these platforms rely heavily on generalized talk therapy — an important first step, yet often inadequate for patients with complex or co-occurring conditions who require more specialized support.
So, why have so few telehealth platforms embraced specialization despite clear market need? The venture capital model bears substantial responsibility. VC funding inherently rewards rapid user growth and profitability, pushing telehealth startups towards simpler models that serve a general population.
Conversely, highly personalized care requires investment in niche providers, detailed intake processes, and specific treatments — all factors that add complexity and slow growth, making them less attractive to investors focused on short-term gains. But if a company’s true mission is to care for people, then that very complexity should be seen as a strength, especially when telehealth is uniquely positioned to meet these needs by drawing on a nationwide network of specialized clinicians that traditional, location-bound systems simply can’t access.
The Growing Demand for Nuanced Care
Still, the need for specialized care is only growing. Increased societal stressors and isolation during the pandemic have exacerbated mental health challenges, particularly among vulnerable populations, indicating a heightened need for specialized care. A 2021 CDC report highlighted elevated rates of mental health symptoms and substance use — often co-occurring — particularly among adults with disabilities, underscoring an urgent need for targeted care models.
Research backs this up: a 2021 study in JAMA Psychiatry found that patients matched with therapists based on the therapist’s demonstrated effectiveness in treating specific issues experienced significantly better clinical outcomes than those assigned without consideration for specialty or fit. The takeaway is clear — specialization is essential for long-term patient success.
Fortunately, promising exceptions are beginning to emerge. In addition to My Psych Match, platforms such as Brightline, focused on pediatric mental healthcare, and NOCD, specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorders, are leading a shift towards more condition-specific care. These companies, though still relatively rare, are proving that specialized telehealth is not only clinically effective but also capable of driving sustainable growth.
A Smarter Future for Telehealth
Specialized telehealth remains one of the industry’s most promising — and largely untapped — opportunities. In a landscape dominated by commoditized care, the platforms that rise above will be those bold enough to embrace complexity: building precision-driven teams, matching patients with clinicians based on true clinical fit, and prioritizing outcomes alongside growth. The future won’t belong to those scaling generalists — it will belong to those who deliver thoughtful, personalized care at scale.
To get there, telehealth must shed the “fast-food” model and fulfill its original promise: accessible, individualized care designed to meet patients where they are. Platforms like My Psych Match offer a glimpse of what that future could look like: clinically nuanced, deeply personalized, and built for the people who need it most.
Spencer Hulse is the Editorial Director at Grit Daily. He is responsible for overseeing other editors and writers, day-to-day operations, and covering breaking news.