Telepsychiatry visits are just like any other medical appointments- the only difference is they are conducted from the comfort of your own home or office using live video-conferencing. There are different names used for the same thing: virtual doctor visit, telehealth, telemedicine, telepsychiatry. They all mean the same thing: delivering health care services at a distance.
What is telepsychiatry?
Telepsychiatry visits are carried out using a HIPAA-compliant connection to keep your protected health information safe. The technology is similar to using Skype or Facetime, however, the telepsychiatry technology is encrypted. The technology has to meet certain medical standards to use.
What is HIPAA? Read here for a summary of the privacy laws. This link can also be used if you are having trouble falling asleep….
Want to prepare for your first visit with a psychiatrist?
Read my 16 questions to answer before your appointment so you are ready.
3 Benefits of a virtual doctor visit:
1. Telepsychiatry eliminates geographic barriers.
Many communities are underserved by psychiatrists and wait times can be prohibitive. Previously unavailable services can now be accessible throughout the country. Telepsychiatry allows us to easily connect with one another irrespective of location.
There is an important caveat though. Even though we have the capabilities to see anyone in the world using this technology, doctors can only treat people in the states they are licensed!
For example, I am licensed only in Connecticut. If you are in any other state I cannot treat you. There are provisions allowed for short-term treatments (ie if you are my patient and leave for vacation out-of-state I am able to continue my treatment of you during your vacation.)
The psychiatrist doesn’t have to reside in the state where they are licensed. A psychiatrist can be licensed in multiple states and treat people all over the country. It is a time consuming and expensive process to get and maintain different licenses hence why many doctors just stick to one.
2. A virtual visit saves time!
Telepsychiatry visits can be a welcome solution for challenges that make it hard to come to appointments. This includes time pressures at work, transportation issues, or childcare difficulties.
Reduce the need to travel to appointments and take time off work by scheduling a virtual appointment. No more sitting in traffic or wasting time in a waiting room. Reduce the stress that surrounds the logistics of scheduling and getting to an appointment.
3. Virtual doctor visits improve access to specialists.
There are not enough psychiatrists and certain areas have severe shortages. This especially rings true for subspecialists such as Geriatric, Child and Adolescent, and Addiction Psychiatrists.
There is a national opiate crisis yet there are many areas of the country where there are no licensed psychiatrists to treat patients needing help with opiate dependence. In order to prescribe buprenorphine (Suboxone), psychiatrists need extra training in order to get the special DEA license. Without that license, a doctor is unable to prescribe “medication-assisted treatment”. Telepsychiatry can expand access to licensed psychiatrists in areas of shortages.
Ask your doctor if they do virtual visits
Not all doctors see patients via telemedicine but many are starting to. I use telepsychiatry in my practice and I love it. Sometimes my patients come to see me in the office and sometimes we schedule a follow-up virtual visit. If a patient is running late (or missing the appointment) we can quickly change to telepsychiatry. This allows care to continue without the need for rescheduling.
Have you had a virtual doctor visit? What was it like for you? I find that even patients that are hesitant, realize that it is actually quite comfortable and will request telepsychiatry follow-up once they try it.
