The growing gap between urgent mental health needs and the capacity of Israel’s public healthcare system has become one of the most critical challenges in modern medicine. Waiting six months, or even longer, for a psychiatric consultation is not an exception; for many, it is the reality. In a field where time can mean the difference between stable functioning and serious deterioration, such delays are a risk.
This isn’t just a matter of convenience or availability. Extended wait times can significantly worsen a patient’s condition, intensify symptoms, trigger co-morbid disorders, and often erode faith in the possibility of improvement.
Clinical studies published in recent years show that early mental health intervention, within two weeks of symptom onset, can reduce the risk of developing chronic post-traumatic stress disorder by approximately 30% and significantly lower suicide rates.
That’s why digital solutions must evolve from gaps into standard care. At Taliaz, we’ve created a full-stack, research-backed platform that leverages AI to deliver psychiatric care in days, not months.
In response, the integration of telemedicine technologies into mental healthcare has sparked a quiet yet profound revolution – one that’s transforming this grim reality. Today, telepsychiatry is not just a contingency plan; it has become a pillar of the future of mental healthcare, especially in systems where wait times are unacceptable.
We have developed a comprehensive digital treatment management platform. It includes intelligent screening tools, an AI-powered psychiatric care system, secure video interfaces, and monitoring and follow-up tools – all designed to deliver fast, precise, and uncompromising care while optimizing clinician time and resources.
Meeting patients in their most vulnerable moments reminds us just how critical speed is. Liat (pseudonym), a 31-year-old from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, came to us after weeks of being unable to get out of bed. She had lost her job, was suffering recurring anxiety attacks, and was convinced she would never regain control of her life.
When she received rapid support, within just a few days, online, she spoke of her surprise in discovering how warm, attentive, and personal care can be, even through a screen.
“Already in the first session, I felt safe because the people on the other side truly cared,” she shared. This is more than an emotional impression. It’s tangible proof that rapid access to care can halt decline, restore self-efficacy, and reopen the door to hope.
Telepsychiatry is the future of mental health care
Her case is not unique. Since Hamas’s mega-attack on October 7, 2023, our platform has helped deliver over 17,000 psychiatric sessions to Israelis, most within just seven days of referral. In a country wrestling with unprecedented mental distress, this is no longer a pilot. It’s a model.
Remote treatment platforms are not a compromise on human connection – quite the opposite. They allow clinicians to focus on the clinical core of their work, without battling the logistical and geographic barriers that so often separate patients from care.
In a public health system stretched to its limits, we must embrace the full potential of technology: to make mental healthcare more accessible, professional, and compassionate – precisely when it’s most needed, not half a year later.
Telepsychiatry is not a “pandemic solution” or a temporary efficiency measure. It is the future of mental healthcare. It enables better, more accurate, and more reachable care. Thanks to smart technologies, we can now concentrate on what truly matters: the human connection, and tailoring treatment to the specific needs of each individual.
The combination of medical expertise, intelligent tools, and a deep understanding of patient needs is not just rhetoric; it saves lives. Backed by research and experience, this is our reality. The future of mental health is already here: accessible, personal, and goal-oriented to provide immediate, effective, and respectful support to those in crisis.
As Israel’s public and private systems seek scalable answers, platforms like Taliaz are not only treating individuals, they’re redefining infrastructure.
Because in a moment of need, there’s no time to wait.
The writer, a neuroscientist, is founder of Taliaz.