Telepsychiatry uses telecommunication technologies, such as videoconferencing, to provide psychiatric care to rural or underserved areas. It can be used for evaluation, diagnosis, treatment consultations, and conferences with other healthcare professionals. It has three primary uses: treating patients in rural or underserved areas, emergency care, and hospital links. Some critics believe that the lack of personal interaction limits the effectiveness of telepsychiatry treatments, but survey data suggests that the majority of patients are satisfied with the level of care they receive.
Telepsychiatry is a form of telemedicine that allows patients to access psychiatric services through telecommunication technologies, such as videoconferencing. It is most often used to provide psychiatric care to rural or underserved areas. As technology improves, other benefits to the telepsychiatry system may develop, and the process is gaining popularity among mainstream psychiatrists.
The technologies that make this remote psychiatric care possible may include communication systems such as telephones, the Internet, and email. In general, however, live two-way video conferencing is usually the preferred method of communication. Videoconferencing often allows psychiatrists to hear and see the verbal and nonverbal cues studied during most forms of psychiatric analysis.
The types of assistance provided through telepsychiatry can be varied. Evaluation, diagnosis and treatment consultations may be possible via videoconference. Conferences with other healthcare professionals involved in patient care may also occur. Forensic, legal, and involuntary engagement consultations can also use remote psychiatry.
While telepsychiatry has many potential applications for patients, psychiatrists, and physicians, some researchers suggest there are three primary uses for the system. Primarily, telepsychiatry may be useful for treating patients living in rural or underserved areas or for homebound patients. As a result, a patient who cannot physically reach a psychiatrist can still receive a full range of treatment options from a telepsychiatrist.
Secondly, it can be useful during emergency care. If a quick evaluation is needed or a patient in a crisis situation requires treatment, a telepsychiatrist can communicate with them in a timely manner. For example, if a patient needs to be admitted to the hospital for immediate psychiatric care, the hospital can save time by arranging their evaluation via videoconference.
A third use of telepsychiatry is called a hospital link. This means that a patient in a hospital can communicate with their psychiatrist, family or doctor via video conferencing. For example, if a patient from a rural area is admitted to a hospital in an urban area, the patient or the treating psychiatrist can communicate with the family without the need for a face-to-face meeting.
Many critics believe that the lack of personal interaction limits the effectiveness of telepsychiatry treatments. Other observers suggest that the patient may feel more comfortable and less intimidated in a videoconferencing environment. Ongoing studies will determine if any of these are factors in the system. Survey data suggest that the majority of patients are satisfied with the level of care they receive through telepsychiatry.
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