Lyra Health Study Finds AI Can Reduce Mental Health Care Costs Without Sacrificing Outcomes

August 12, 2025 at 08:00 AM EDT

Matching members with the right provider using Lyra’s AI maintains excellent clinical outcomes while saving $340 per member

One of the strongest predictors of mental health improvement is the connection between a person and their therapist. When the provider has the right clinical expertise, cultural understanding, and relational fit, it creates a safe space for real progress. Using AI to match people to the right provider can improve the care experience and results. New peer-reviewed research from Lyra Health, the leading provider of mental health solutions for employers, confirms that matching people with the right provider through AI also lowers the cost of care.

The study, published in Value in Health, the official journal of ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, found that Lyra’s AI-powered provider-matching algorithm reduced the average length of care by two sessions and decreased per-episode costs by nearly 20%, all while retaining clinical outcomes. That translates to savings of up to $340 per member, a key reason why Lyra delivers the highest return on investment in the market at 3:1.

A Smarter Way to Match People to the Right Care

The research compared two versions of Lyra’s provider-matching algorithm. The newer, value-based model considers not only provider specialty and availability when matching clients, but also how effective providers have historically been at helping members improve in fewer sessions.

The study focused on real-world care episodes and found that members matched through the value-based algorithm improved just as much as those who used a previous version of the provider matching algorithm, but in fewer sessions, helping reduce the total cost of care.

"This study demonstrates that AI, using good data, can do more than streamline access to care; it can enable provider matches that get people better faster while retaining clinical quality,” said Dr. Anita Lungu, vice president of clinical product and research at Lyra Health. “By leveraging AI to analyze extensive outcomes data we showed that smarter provider matching can deliver measurable cost savings while maintaining clinical results.”

Leading with Transparency and Evidence

Peer-reviewed research publications are the gold standard in science for reporting on research and innovation. Lyra is the first and only modern workforce mental health solution to publish peer-reviewed results on AI used for provider matching. This study adds to Lyra’s growing body of scientific research, with more than 20 peer-reviewed publications validating the company’s care.

By continuing to invest in evidence-based care and technology and sharing real-world outcomes at scale, Lyra is helping employers deliver mental health benefits that are transparent, measurable, and built to last.

To learn more about Lyra’s research, visit the Lyra Clinical Research page. You can also read the full study in Value in Health or download our white paper for a deeper dive into the findings.

About Lyra Health

Lyra Health is the leading provider of mental health solutions for employers supporting more than 20 million people globally. Lyra is transforming access to life-changing mental health care through Lyra Empower, the only fully integrated, AI-powered platform combining the highest-quality care and technology solutions for members, providers and HR leaders. The company has delivered nearly 12 million sessions of mental health care, published more than 20 peer-reviewed studies, and delivered unmatched outcomes in terms of access, clinical effectiveness and cost efficiency. Extensive peer-reviewed research confirms Lyra’s transformative care model helps people recover twice as fast and results in a 26% annual reduction in overall healthcare claims costs. For more information, visit lyrahealth.com.