Professionalism and Technology: Competencies Across the Tele-Behavioral Health and E-Behavioral Health Spectrum

Telemedicine as the New Outpatient Clinic Gone Digital: Position Paper From the Pandemic Health System REsilience PROGRAM (REPROGRAM) International Consortium (Part 2)

“…These services will become increasingly crucial in the pandemic setting, as physical isolation and frontline work pose both access issues and mental health stressors. The ethics of such teleservices needs to be ensured, with patient confidentiality, referral and billing practices, and physician eligibility being upheld ( 88 ). Psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and psychologists need to ensure that they are maintaining their own mental health during this time, with programs such as professional supervision being of help ( 4 ).…”

Putting Technologies Used for Clinical Care and Education in Context

“…Delivering mental health care through technology has many potential clinical, legal, professional, and communication ramifications [13]. Clinicians should screen patients about their use of technology, evaluate its impact, and be mindful of informed consent documentation and licensing and other legal requirements when using technology with patients [27].…”

“…Ratzliff et al [12] also look at tele-behavioral health in collaborative and integrated care. Finally, an article thinks through the professionalism implications for practice and education [13].…”

Trainees on Technological Terrain: a Video Vignette-Based Tool to Teach E-Professionalism

“…In response to these professionalism breaches and the resulting sanctions, medical organizations published several reports and developed professional guidelines, standards, and consensus statements regarding responsible physician use of social media and the Internet [4] (Table 1). However, in an effort to promote and preserve open communication, access to care, and innovation, government agencies have been reluctant to over-regulate online content, placing the onus on physicians to "self-regulate" and comply with "voluntary codes of conduct" [5].…”

“…In 2010, the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training (AADPRT) Taskforce on Professionalism and the Internet developed a curriculum to advise psychiatric residents about professionalism and social media use. The authors created vignettes organized around nine professionalism issues-liability, confidentiality, and privacy; psychotherapy and boundaries; safety issues; mandated reporting; libel; conflicts of interest; academic honesty; netiquette; and professionalism remediation-for group discussion and/or individual study [3,4]. In another study, Flicklinger et al designed a curriculum to enhance medical students' knowledge of professionalism and social media use.…”