There has always been a certain amount of uneasiness surrounding the topic of mental health. But mental health is an important aspect of a person’s well-being. In recent years people have started to become more and more aware of the importance of having a healthy mind. Visiting a psychiatrist or therapist to deal with any mental issues is not seen as a stigma anymore.
Telemedicine is proving very helpful in improving patient care through virtual services. Studies show that mental health patients have found telemedicine an effective way of treatment. This is why there is a branch of Telemedicine dedicated solely to patients with mental health issues – Telepsychiatry.
What is Telepsychiatry?
Telepsychiatry is a subset of telemedicine that focuses on services like psychiatric evaluations, different types of therapy and medication management. As with Telemedicine, it consists of virtual communication between a psychiatrist and the patient. Telepsychiatry often includes videoconferencing as a way of providing care from a distance.
Through direct interaction with the patient, psychiatrists can provide mental health care and consultation. Live sessions are conducted by psychiatrists with their patients on virtual platforms if necessary medical information can also be collected during this time for reviewing later.
Though some may argue that interacting with the psychiatrist on a screen might be awkward, a lot of patients find this comfortable. Being able to choose the location of the session like their own house or any other space they like, makes patients more relaxed and willing to talk. Also, in this digital age, people are quite used to video chatting which makes them likely to engage in Telepsychiatry.
Benefits of Telepsychiatry
Telepsychiatry is immensely useful for treating patients at distant locations or those that don’t have access to mental health care services. With improved access to such care, mental health conditions can be treated efficiently. Moreover, psychiatrists can ensure the patient follows through with the medications and appointments.
Telepsychiatry can help improve the overall mental health of the population, reduce the stigma surrounding it, remove any barriers such as lack of time or transportation, and avoid any emergency situations.
Thus, through Telepsychiatry, you can expect convenient and readily accessible mental health services, which are beneficial for patients in countless ways.