Telemental health, in the form of interactive videoconferencing, has become a critical tool in the delivery of mental health care. It has demonstrated the ability to increase access to and quality of care, and in some settings to do so more effectively than treatment delivered in-person. This article updates and consolidates previous guidance developed by The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) and The American Psychiatric Association (APA) on the development, implementation, administration, and provision of telemental health services. The guidance included in this article is intended to assist in the development and delivery of effective and safe telemental health services founded on expert consensus, research evidence, available resources, and patient needs. It is recommended that the material reviewed be contemplated in conjunction with APA and ATA resources, as well as the pertinent literature, for additional details on the topics covered.
The delivery of psychiatric care via video-teleconferencing (VTC) technology is thought to have reached a tipping point. As a medical speciality with relatively few material or technical requirements for service delivery, psychiatry has been one of the earliest to embrace the possibility of providing evaluations and treatment at a distance. Such technical infrastructure as is necessary can often be found in the institutions already in existence. It was natural therefore that institutionally based telepsychiatry would lay the foundation for the development of the field. In this article we review the history and development of institutional VTC in a wide variety of clinically supervised settings such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, and forensic settings. We cite evidence supporting institutionally sponsored use and expand on key takeaways for the development and expansion of videoconferencing in these settings. We also speculate on the future direction and development of psychiatric care provided by these arrangements.
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