Cerebral Inc., a fast-growing virtual mental health company, is making a significant shift in its workforce strategy with its “Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing” plan. By June, the company aims to outsource approximately 70% of its care coordinator roles to the Philippines, according to a report from Business Insider. This operational change will result in the majority of front-line patient care coordinators working remotely overseas. The move comes during a period of intense scrutiny over Cerebral’s employment practices, raising important questions about balancing cost savings with maintaining quality patient care.
The care coordinator roles to be outsourced will be hired through a New York City-based firm called ResolvedCX. The Philippines-based coordinators are reportedly paid about $8 per hour, a stark contrast to the roughly $20 or more per hour typically earned by U.S.-based coordinators, according to Glassdoor reviews. This substantial wage difference highlights the financial incentives behind Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing, but also sparks debate over potential impacts on service quality, cultural nuances, and patient satisfaction.
Expanding Capacity and 24/7 Accessibility Through Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing
Cerebral representatives have explained that this outsourcing initiative is designed to allow the company to scale its care coordinator workforce quickly and efficiently in response to growing patient demand. By increasing staff capacity overseas, Cerebral aims to provide 24/7 accessibility for patients seeking mental health support, a key feature that can set a telehealth provider apart in a crowded market.
Since its founding in January 2020, Cerebral has experienced rapid growth, now boasting a valuation of $4.8 billion as one of the leaders among virtual mental health unicorns, according to CB Insights. The company operates in all 50 U.S. states, providing counseling, psychiatric services, and medication management to a broad patient base. Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing is the latest in a series of bold moves intended to sustain that rapid expansion.
However, the plan to outsource such a large portion of care coordinators is not without controversy. Back in 2021, Cerebral faced backlash after shifting its clinicians from salaried positions with guaranteed health benefits to hourly pay. This change forced many clinicians to work 30 hours per week for 90 days before qualifying for benefits, a policy criticized for undermining clinician stability and morale. Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing may compound concerns about how the company values and supports its frontline workforce.
Strategic Growth and Increasing Service Offerings
Beyond staffing changes, Cerebral has been actively expanding its service offerings. In March, the company announced a strategic partnership with Field Trip Health Ltd., a Toronto-based provider specializing in psychedelic-assisted treatments. This partnership reflects Cerebral’s interest in innovative and alternative therapies in mental health care. Additionally, Cerebral launched a virtual medication-assisted treatment program targeting opioid use disorder, signaling a commitment to address the broader spectrum of behavioral health needs.
While these developments demonstrate Cerebral’s ambitions, they also come amid growing industry concerns. A recent Bloomberg Businessweek report highlighted interviews with former Cerebral employees and patients who expressed worries about the risks of managing psychiatric medications remotely. The report suggested that this model might contribute to overprescribing and create fragmented patient experiences, potentially harming individuals’ mental health rather than helping it. Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing, as a major operational shift, adds a new layer to these concerns about care continuity and quality.
Challenges and Questions Surrounding Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing
The decision to outsource care coordinator roles brings up critical questions about the future of patient engagement at Cerebral. Care coordinators are essential in guiding patients through their treatment journey, offering support, answering questions, and ensuring patients connect to appropriate care resources. Transitioning these roles overseas introduces potential challenges related to cultural competence, language nuances, time zone differences, and consistency in patient care.
Critics argue that while Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing may reduce costs and expand coverage hours, it could inadvertently dilute the personalized support that patients expect from mental health providers. How Cerebral manages training, quality assurance, and communication standards with its outsourced team will be vital to maintaining trust and delivering effective care.
The Broader Impact on the Virtual Mental Health Industry
Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing is part of a larger trend in telehealth, where companies seek to balance the pressures of rapid growth, investor expectations, and rising patient demand by adopting offshore staffing models. This practice, common in other industries, is relatively new and somewhat controversial in healthcare, where the quality of human interaction directly affects outcomes.
As Cerebral continues to push boundaries in virtual behavioral health, its approach to outsourcing care coordination could influence industry standards and regulatory scrutiny. Stakeholders, including patients, clinicians, and policymakers, will be watching closely to see if cost-saving measures like Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing can coexist with high-quality, patient-centered care.
Looking Ahead
Cerebral’s plan to outsource 70% of its care coordinator workforce is a pivotal moment for the company and the virtual mental health space. The move may help Cerebral meet the needs of a growing patient population with more accessible and around-the-clock services. However, it also raises complex questions about workforce management, patient experience, and the future of telehealth care delivery.
Ultimately, how Cerebral implements this outsourcing strategy and addresses associated challenges will play a key role in shaping its reputation and success. The outcomes of Cerebral Care Coordinator Outsourcing will likely set important precedents for other telehealth providers navigating the balance between scalability, cost, and quality in mental health care.
