Why Telepsychiatry Is a Patient and Industry Win

Pre-pandemic I heard some providers say, “Telepsychiatry will not work for us because our patients won’t like it.”

While this may be true for some, new research documents that patients have high satisfaction with telehealth and telepsychiatry. Read this National Library of Medicine article, Virtual Behavioral Health Treatment Satisfaction and Outcomes Across Time, as proof that telepsychiatry is here to stay.

Why Is Telepsychiatry Good for Patients?

Here are three solid reasons why telepsychiatry is a win/win for patients and mental health organizations.

1. Transparency: When providers serve a small community, some patients feel more comfortable opening up online without fear of running into the provider outside a clinical setting. This is especially important in rural areas, where stigma can make it difficult for patients to be completely transparent with providers. With telepsychiatry, patients are able to be honest with their provider about issues, feelings, medications, and incidences – resulting in a more accurate consultation and treatment.
   
2. Privacy: Telepsychiatry patients like the privacy of being able to speak with a provider from the comfort of their home.
   
3. Access: Telehealth is also ideal for patients with disabilities for whom commuting to a clinical setting and/or finding an available caregiver is more difficult. Telehealth broadens service areas and patient access. Many states only require providers to be licensed in their home state and the state where the patient resides in, and if prescribing, hold a federal and state-controlled substances license. With the national shortage of behavioral health providers and the rise of patients needing compassionate care, telehealth offers organizations a chance to make more providers available to patients who may otherwise go without or delay care.

There is, on average, a 48-day waiting period to see a provider for a behavioral health need in the United States. Telehealth can shorten this wait time. It is crucial for ensuring patients are not only getting access to behavioral health services but also good quality consultations.

For more information on how Integrated Psychiatric Consultants (IPC) can help your program in implementing telehealth behavioral health services, please reach out to me:

Lindsay Demboski, Senior Vice President, ldemboski@integrated-pc.com, (404) 427-9694

More on the poll:

See the full results of the poll. The new findings come from an APA-sponsored online survey conducted March 26 – April 5, 2021, among a representative sample of 1,000 adults 18 years of age and older. The equivalent margin of error is +/-3.1 percentage points. Additional polling information available: more from the 2021 polling and information from polls in October 2020 and prior years.

American Psychiatric Association

The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 37,400 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information please visit www.psychiatry.org.