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Telepsychiatry for Psychiatric Crisis intervention Inmates can face psychiatric crisis any time of day or night and being able to respond to these situations can be difficult and expensive. Most facilities rely on an on call system for phone consultations with the mental health staff for after-hours coverage, this system does not allow for direct interaction between the inmate in crisis and the clinician and can result in the need for the inmate to be transported offsite for evaluation at a local hospital.InSight’s telepsychiatry services allow correctional facilities access to critical psychiatric care through a real-time interaction between the clinician and the inmate. This service is available 24/7/365 within an hour of request. This access to a psychiatric specialist can significantly reduce costs by eliminating the need to transport inmates in crisis to the hospital Emergency Department. It also provides for a reduction in overtime costs for officers who are required to accompany these inmates. Telepsychiatry also makes the treatment of these individuals safer by reducing an inmate’s opportunity to attempt escape. Cost Implications InSight’s experiential data has shown that on average a trip to the hospital for an inmate has a cost of nearly $2,600 in terms of transportation and officer overtime alone. This does not include the cost for the hospitalization, where the average length of stay for an inmate often spans hours or even days. Due to the current economic constraints, correctional institutions are seeking ways to increase efficiency and lower costs while still providing high quality care. InSight’s telepsychiatry services offer correctional facilities near immediate access to a psychiatric professional to evaluate and manage the inmate within psychiatric crisis. In many cases, this quick intervention can prevent an unnecessary offsite trip to a local hospital emergency room. |
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