Most employees who start an antidepressant have no way of knowing whether it will actually work for them.
Treatment often becomes a cycle of trial and error: start a medication, wait weeks, adjust if it fails, and try again.
Mental health conditions are now among the most common health challenges affecting the workforce. Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults experiences mental illness each year, yet treatment decisions are still often built on uncertainty rather than insight.
For years, that uncertainty has been treated as unavoidable. This impacts employee productivity, costs and quality of life.
“The longer it takes for patients to find an effective treatment, the greater the impact on their health, well-being, and daily life. Earlier, more informed medication decisions can improve outcomes for both patients and employers,” said Chelsea Durnil, PharmD, Director of Clinical Solutions at True Rx.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and as employers place renewed focus on employee well-being, there is an opportunity to rethink what effective mental health support should look like. Effective mental health support is no longer just about access. It’s about helping employees reach better outcomes faster.
The gap between access and results
Mental health care access has expanded, but better access alone does not guarantee better outcomes.
For many patients, treatment remains slow, frustrating, and uncertain. Antidepressants are among the most commonly used mental health treatments in the U.S., with 11.4% of adults taking prescription medication for depression in 2023.
Depression is biologically complex. Genetics, metabolism, underlying health conditions, and brain chemistry all influence how a person responds to medication. What works well for one patient may be ineffective or poorly tolerated for another.
That variability creates real consequences. Research shows antidepressant non-adherence remains a major challenge, with one recent study finding only about one in three patients consistently adheres to treatment. Delayed improvement, side effects, and repeated medication changes can increase frustration for patients while driving higher costs and lost productivity for employers.
The issue is not whether antidepressants work. They are an essential part of treatment for many patients. The real opportunity is making more informed medication decisions earlier in the process.
A more personalized approach to treatment
Personalized medicine is changing how providers approach mental health care. Pharmacogenomics helps identify how a patient’s genetic profile may influence medication response, offering insight into which treatments may be better aligned to the individual from the start.
This approach strengthens clinical decision-making by giving providers additional information earlier in treatment. The goal is simple: reduce unnecessary delays, help patients reach effective treatment faster, and improve the overall care experience.
For employers, better treatment experiences can also translate into measurable impact through improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, and lower overall health care costs.
How True Rx is advancing mental health care
True Rx Health Strategists are helping improve the way patients experience mental health treatment by reducing the uncertainty that often comes with finding the right medication.
Medication Match combines pharmacogenomic testing with pharmacist-led clinical guidance to help providers make more informed medication decisions from the beginning. Instead of relying on trial and error, patients and providers start with a clearer insight into which medications may be a better fit from the start.
“Patients struggling with mental health challenges should not have to spend months wondering whether a medication will work for them,” said Durnil. “More informed treatment decisions earlier in the process can help reduce delays, improve confidence in care, and create a better overall experience for patients.”
Patients also receive personalized support that turns complex clinical data into clear, actionable next steps. One patient said:
The information from the [True Outcomes: Medication Match] testing is informative, but what I felt was helpful was the pharmacist consultation to go over my results. I recommend [Medication Match] to anyone looking for a more comprehensive evaluation of what medicines might be best for their bodies.”
Beyond improving the patient experience, Medication Match also helps reduce unnecessary medication changes, delays in treatment, and avoidable health care costs, generating an average of $2,424 in annual cost avoidance per engaged member.
Better mental health care is not just about expanding access. It’s about helping people reach the right treatment faster less uncertainty and fewer delays.
