Digital psychiatry is a healthcare field that has come a long way in the last few years. At this time, we witnessed a rapid growth of research and commercial interest, accompanied by high hopes. About ten years have passed, but the impact on the everyday clinical practice of digital methods in psychiatry has so far been limited. Telepsychiatry is an innovative healthcare practice that applies telemedicine in psychiatry. As a rule, we are discussing conducting a psychiatric examination and providing assistance using telecommunication technologies, such as videoconferencing.
There is no doubt that the lack of access to adequate psychiatric care is one of the biggest problems of the public health system worldwide. While psychiatry is traditionally one of the branches of medicine least affected by technological changes, recent advances in videoconferencing technology have proven their effectiveness in providing professional psychiatric care to the population who, for various reasons, do not receive proper medical care. The cost of services, remoteness, lack of specialists, and the continuing negative attitude towards the treatment of mental problems are among the most frequently mentioned barriers to access to mental health professionals. Telepsychiatry can help overcome some of the barriers to access to treatment. Telemedicine can reduce the cost of psychiatric care – patients do not need to worry about travel, child care, lost working hours, and other problems associated with visiting a remote specialist’s office. This technology makes it possible to provide high-quality psychiatric treatment in any clinic, including rural ones, with an Internet connection. The stigmatization of psychiatric care often discourages people from seeking help, but telemedicine can make help available to those who may feel uncomfortable visiting a psychiatrist’s office.
There is strong evidence of the effectiveness of telepsychiatry, and studies have shown that the satisfaction of patients, psychiatrists, and other specialists is high. Telepsychiatry is equivalent to personal communication with a psychiatrist regarding diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness, quality of care, and patient satisfaction. Patient privacy and confidentiality are equivalent to personal care. Studies also showed that the overall work experience among all age groups was good. Data are available for children, adolescents, and adults regarding evaluation and treatment (drug and therapeutic). There are even people for whom telemedicine may be preferable to personal communication with a doctor, for example, people with autism or severe anxiety disorders. Patients with physical disabilities can find especially useful remote treatment. Telepsychiatry has already been recognized as particularly effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
In developed countries, patients, in any case, first turn to their doctor to discuss their problems. Then the patient receives a referral to a psychiatrist, including one who works remotely, with whom he agrees on the time of admission. Then the patient comes to his usual local medical center, where he will be taken to a separate room for a video conference with a psychiatrist. In some cases, a person can contact a specialist directly through a specialized website, bypassing the need to communicate with a local attending physician. The doctor will discuss the issue in detail, make a treatment plan and even prescribe medications if local law permits. Any subsequent appointments or further referrals can be carried out simultaneously, saving the patient significant travel time and associated costs. My new role in my graduate studies will enable me to use telepsychiatry to reach people that need it most.
In conclusion, telepsychiatry is the application of telemedicine in a special field of psychiatry. This term usually describes psychiatric care and examination using telecommunication technologies, usually videoconferencing. Digital psychiatry has significant potential to change future clinical practice and expand the work of doctors and researchers. Now we have technologies that can help monitor the mood and behavior of the patient almost the entire time when he is not in the clinic. Such an assessment can provide more objective and quantitative data about patients.
Reference
Naslund, J. A., Mitchell, L. M., Joshi, U., Nagda, D., & Lu, C. (2020). Economic evaluation and costs of telepsychiatry programmes: A systematic review. Journal of telemedicine and telecare, 1357633X20938919. Web.