Over the past two decades, we have seen technology fundamentally reshape the industry’s scale and how it creates value. The enterprise platform now serves millions of users at the same time. Retail is personalized in real time. Education has evolved from a fixed classroom to a flexible, self-progress learning environment. Yet despite all these advances, mental health care remains shackled by traditional models that resist scale, are difficult to adapt, and often fail to meet the real needs of people.
We have made significant progress in access and affordability, but the care structure itself remains largely the same. Popular patterns—weekly, one-size-fits-all appointments—are inconsistent with people’s lifestyles and treatments. Before we develop this foundation, efforts to improve access alone are not enough.
The real restriction is not access. This is the rhythm.
Mental health care today is largely intermittent. The client meets the therapist for 50 minutes and then—unless a crisis occurs—has little structured support until the next treatment (usually a week or more). At the same time, life happened. Increased pressure. The mode reappears. The insight gradually faded. At best, a person may receive 52 hours of therapy support each year—a work week to deal with the full complexity of humanity.
This rhythm is not only outdated, but it is fundamentally incompatible with the nature of mental health. Treatment is not linear and is not limited to predetermined time periods. It is continuous, contextual, and very personal.
Transformation to continuity, intelligence and personalization
To meaningfully expand mental health care and improve outcomes, we must move beyond the strict limits of intermittent care to a continuous, intelligent and adaptable model to individual needs.
The next chapter of nursing has begun to form:
1. Promote ongoing participation between conferences – Individuals should not rely entirely on weekly appointments, but should adopt a structured, lightweight approach to staying involved in their nursing journey between meetings. This may include reflective tips, exercises planned by the therapist, or brief progress checks—enhancing sense of responsibility and integrated interactions without increasing clinical burden. These moments help keep motivated and let people feel more caring in their daily lives than intermittent things.
2. Use artificial intelligence to amplify (rather than replace) therapeutic relationships – Artificial Intelligence Tools extend the power of treatment beyond treatment – Tools developed in parallel with clinical and AI expertise are an integral part of the next stage of mental health care. Capacity can be unlimited; here are some examples: The therapist reviews the summary after each appointment to reinforce key topics, weekly goals, and personalized resources. There are also chat partners with scientific support that can help patients handle their emotions and feel support during their visit. Finally, meeting preparation allows individuals to clarify what they want to focus on before their next meeting—reducing anxiety and helping them to be down-to-earth and purposeful.
For providers, AI integration can convert conversational audio into editable, safe-ready documents, saving time while retaining clinical sound. All of these tools must be fully HIPAA compliant, dual encryption, and built with strict privacy and removal protocols to protect customer trust. Together, they form a closed-loop system that deepens connections, reduces management friction, and ensures that the power of treatment exceeds a 50-minute session, extending to all moments the client needs to support.
3. Create flexible design care patterns – Just as graduate education has evolved to include asynchronous learning and modular course design, mental health care must provide more flexible structures to adapt to the reality of modern life. Some people may benefit from more frequent and shorter check-in times. Others may need to adjust the pace according to the moment of increased stress or transition.
Flexibility does not mean inconsistency—it means personalization. When care can be flexible to satisfy someone in the present, it becomes more relevant, more sustainable, and more likely to have lasting effects.
From digital to intelligent
The first generation of digital mental health platforms eliminate barriers such as stigma and cost. This work is crucial. But the next evolution is not to add more portals or digitize more forms, but to embed intelligence into the care model itself. This means building systems that adapt in real time, learn from engagement models, and provide actionable insights to providers and customers.
Health programs are beginning to recognize that technical support, outcome-driven care can not only improve experience and retention, but also reduce costs. As the potential of artificial intelligence continues to mature, the ability to provide more personalized and efficient care on a large scale will accelerate.
Human care, evolution
This is not replacing therapist with machines. This is to create infrastructure for high-quality care in an intelligent, ethical and humane way. It’s about using technology to expand rather than weaken the scope of therapeutic relationships.
The weekly meeting model is designed to mainstream mental health care. But it no longer reflects people’s needs or possibilities.
To meet this moment, we need a model of care built for real life—a model that can adapt, integrate and support the actual development of treatment.
That's how we scale. This is how we can help more people really get better.
Photo source: Olga Strelnikova, Getty Images
Mark Frank is CEO and co-founder of SonderMind, a leader in comprehensive, personalized mental health care. Since its founding in 2015, Frank has been committed to making quality mental health support more accessible and affordable. Under his leadership, SonderMind has expanded nationwide and grown into one of the largest mental health technology companies in the United States, with a valuation of over $1 billion. The company offers in-person and virtual therapy and psychiatric care services, and enhances capabilities with AI tools to help individuals match and support personalized care.
Frank served as captain in the U.S. Army for five years before moving to leadership positions in investment banking and health care. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the Military Academy of West Point and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
This article appears in Medical City Influencer program. Anyone can post their views on healthcare business and innovation on MedCity News via MedCity Influencers. Click here to learn more about the specific method.
