Geriatric Telepsychiatry Academic Article Listings

Telemedicine and Geriatric Psychiatry

Article provides telemedicine terminology and the foundation for the application of telepsychiatry in the treatment of geriatric patients. Validates the contention that telepsychiatry is a cost effective means of serving the geriatric population. 

Recent Advances in Telepsychiatry: An Updated Review

This article gives a summation on a collective of articles that explore certain variables associated with telepsychiatry. Reports that patients & clinicians are highly satisfied with remote treatment and care. Highest satisfaction was observed in jail population, rural settings, geriatric patients, child/adolescent patients, non-psychotic patients, and limited access patients. Costs for telepsychiatric services are either less expensive than f-t-f, or at the break-even point. Only 3 states have statutes that directly address telehealth via telepsychiatry/ counseling, but overall, more research is needed concerning legality and telepsychiatry.

During this study performed in China,149 assessments were provided to 45 rest home patients over an 11 month time span to compare the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of telepsychiatry in geriatric services. Videoconferencing was declared an acceptable and cost-effective means of delivering psychiatric consultation and assessment for the patients.  It provided faster response times to patient needs. An additional discovery was made in that, special consideration is for needed patients with dementia (or limited cognitive functioning) when using videoconferencing.