Psychiatry is no longer a branch of medicine consultation that requires the patient and medical professional to be physically present at the same place. With the widespread pandemic, many people resorted to virtual means of getting things done. Medical appointments including psychiatric consultations were conducted virtually over the internet. Zoom, Skype, and various other online platforms were used to conduct virtual consultations with medical specialists.

Telehealth in psychiatry has taken the frontline and seems to be a preferred way of conducting consultations from both the medical specialists and the patient’s points of view. Here’s a look at how telehealth has impacted psychiatry and more about this topic.

What is telehealth in psychiatry?

Telehealth is a consultation between a psychiatrist and a patient over a virtual platform. Most of the time, these consultations are conducted via video conference or telephony conversation. Psychiatrists use various resources to make sure that the consultation goes smoothly as intended and delivers the expected results to the patient. From the patient’s perspective, he should ensure to connect to the video conference or telephone conversation in a place where there are fewer distractions. It will ensure that he gets the expected results from the consultation.

Why use telehealth in psychiatry?

The greatest benefit of telehealth in psychiatry is that it can provide healthcare services to those who are in areas that are unreachable by qualified and skilled medical specialists. It is especially beneficial for providing high-quality healthcare services in rural and remote regions.

GPs and nurses are the first levels of contact for patients in rural and remote regions. These people discuss their mental health issues with their GPs and maybe the head nurses. Proper escalation ensures that specialists in psychiatry are informed about these patients so that they can help them in a timely manner. Telehealth makes sure to bridge this gap that can save many lives, especially those having suicidal feelings. Rural GPs and nurses should ensure that psychiatrists are informed in a timely manner so that these patients are able to fall on the right track with a positive mindset.

Several studies have proven the efficacy of telehealth consultations in psychiatry. These studies show that telehealth consultations can be as effective as physical face-to-face consultations with psychiatrists. The outcome has been positive in most of the cases.

However, implementing telehealth in psychiatry needs to follow a planned and coordinated approach. If not, the desired results may not be achieved in the same manner. It is important to make sure that the technical setup is not too complicated and expensive for both the psychiatrist and the patient. High quality of service can be maintained with minimal technology that is actually required to serve the purpose. Simplicity makes patients prefer this method of consultation as opposed to face-to-face appointments with specialists.

One of the best things is that in Australia, Medicare rebates are available for telehealth consultations. More patients are willing to go for telehealth consultations without going for face-to-face appointments due to this reason.

Professional standards

The following professional standards outline the way telehealth consultations are conducted under the medical regulations put forth by the government of Australia.

RANZCP: Professional practice guidelines for telepsychiatry

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and National Boards: Telehealth guidance for practitioners

Medical Board of Australia: Inter-jurisdictional technology-based patient consultations

Medical Board of Australia: Guidelines for technology-based consultations

Medical Council of New Zealand: Statement on telehealth 

Australian Government Department of Health privacy checklist for telehealth services

These standards outline how to conduct telehealth consultations to get the best outcomes and to serve the intended purpose. These guidelines apply to doctors in Australia and New Zealand in a common framework. They can also be followed by doctors who are working overseas and providing telehealth services to patients from Australia and New Zealand.

Maintaining privacy and confidentiality in telehealth consultations

Maintaining privacy and confidentiality is of utmost importance when conducting telehealth consultations. Psychiatrists should ensure that patient information, medical history, and whatever they discuss during the consultation are not shared publicly. The virtual platforms introduce the risk of information being leaked, which should be addressed appropriately in the technology used to conduct telehealth consultations.

Psychiatrists should familiarize themselves with the privacy principles of Australia and New Zealand in terms of conducting telehealth consultations, which should be the same as those that exist for face-to-face appointments. The Australian government has released a privacy checklist for telehealth services that medical specialists should follow when conducting virtual consultations.

How does telehealth consultations work?

Psychiatrists may conduct telehealth consultations over the phone or via video conferencing. They typically use virtual platforms such as Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime. Video conferencing is preferred over telephony conversation because the psychiatrist and patient get to see each other similar to a face-to-face physical consultation. This is important in health consultations as it helps the patient to build trust and confidence over the medical specialist.

Psychiatrists usually have a preference over which platform to use in telehealth consultations. They will give the patient the necessary instructions on how to install and use this software, before the appointment. The psychiatrist typically speaks to the patient just as he would during a face-to-face consultation.

Unexpected technical circumstances in telehealth consultations

The unexpected is always possible to occur when conducting telehealth consultations. Therefore, psychiatrists should be mindful of this fact and take appropriate steps to ensure that there is minimal disruption for the consultation with the patient. The telehealth consultation should be useful and provide the desired outcome from the patient’s point of view.

Unexpected power cuts, slow internet speed, and many more things are possible when conducting telehealth consultations over virtual platforms. In cases where psychiatrists cannot conduct telehealth consultations via thee virtual platforms, they should be prepared to continue the consultation over the phone, tablet, or a dial-up connection. Alternative arrangements ensure that the consultation is not disrupted and the patient is being served as intended. The patient will get desired outcome in this manner.

If a session fails due to technical issues that are sometimes unavoidable, the patient should not be charged for the consultation or some method should exist to ensure that the patient is not unfairly charged.

Telehealth consultations typically require monitors, cameras, and audio devices such as headphones and speakers. Both the patient and psychiatrist should have these equipment ready and in working condition before starting the consultation.

Medicare benefits and telehealth

Every Australian Medicare card holder can access Medical rebates for telehealth consultations. This is another reason why many patients prefer telehealth consultations over face-to-face consultations. Patients from rural and regional areas can benefit the most from this. Psychiatrists should be aware of this to correctly inform the patients concerning this subject matter.

Medfuture is dedicated towards connecting patients and healthcare organizations with the best psychiatrists in Australia. Visit our website to find the latest psychiatrist jobs across all states and suburbs in Australia, including remote and rural regions.

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