|
|
|
Telepsychiatry
What is Telepsychiatry? Telepsychiatry is the use of real-time video conferencing to facilitate an interaction between a clinician and a patient when they remain in two discreet locations.
As a specialty of the larger categories of telehealth, telemedicine, and telemental health, telepsychiatry is a discipline that focuses on the delivery of psychiatric services through videoconferencing by either psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners. Typically telepsychiatry focuses on initial psychiatric assessment and follow-up care with medication, when appropriate.
Originally the term telemedicine simply indicated the use of technology to facilitate a clinical interaction from a distance. In the 1950’s this meant the telephone. Today telemedicine includes larger internet technologies like email, remote monitoring devices, chat rooms, health information exchanges, and even online virtual worlds populated by avatars.
While the world of telemedicine and telepsychiatry is rapidly evolving into new clinical disciplines and new technology mediums, the term telepsychiatry, as it is used here, refered to the real-time interaction between a psychiatric clinician and a patient.
Since the early 1990’s, telepsychiatry has been tested and validated within the research and published literature to provide an interaction that closely replicates a live in-person exchange.
While no technology will ever take the place of personal interaction, telepsychiatry has proven effective as a medium for clinical evaluation and care where onsite resources are limited by time, distance, and financial constraints. .gif "Technology Overview") |
|
