Telepsychiatry is a part of telemedicine that involves providing healthcare services and therapy to patients or a group of patients via technological devices such as video conferencing or phone. This includes therapy for a group of patients, patient education, medicine information, and medication management.
This type of medication has brought about multiple benefits especially for patients with chronic conditions. Besides helping with holistic health treatment and recovery, it has also proven to positively impact the mental health of the patient. Here are some ways telepsychiatry has, to improve mental health;
Relieve Stress
Besides the sickness, it could add so much stress and anxiety to just think about the process you have to go through to get to the doctors and get the treatment you need. Travelling is not everybody’s thriller, especially when you are sick; it makes you feel even more terrible.
The hospital environment causes some patients anxiety, which doesn’t help them get better rather; it causes stress on the patients which is not good for that therapy session. Some people even recover better when they are treated at home with their family around and at the comfort of their home. And if you have concerns about being in public, telepsychiatry is your best form of treatment.
Reduce Travel
Travelling to the hospitals and attending your sessions is one thing and getting treatment and actually getting healed is another. Most patients have been reported not to attend their sessions and appointments for factors related to travel. This could be heavy traffic, long-distance, lack of transport, or just lack of energy to even get up from the bed, prepare and travel to the clinic.
With telepsychiatry, sessions between therapist and patients continue smoothly without having to worry about transport money, traffic, or travelling long distances. It is also of great help to some patients who live in rural areas and don’t even have good roads to the hospitals.
Make Treatment Easily Accessible
The only thing you need is a phone or another technological device for communication and some good network connection and you are good to get on with your treatments. The stress of having to make doctor’s appointments and book sessions could be stressful. Some patients also don’t just like being around the hospital environment. It makes them even sicker.
Saves Time and Money
Money is a great concern in many families and is the number one leading cause of stress, anxiety, and even depression to a lot of patients. When some people think about the amount they have to pay to doctors for certain treatments, they opt not to get the treatment at all.
Telepsychiatry is a cheaper way of getting treatment. There is no transport money and the sessions are also affordable. You also don’t waste time on the toad or at the hospital where doctors are always rushing from one session to the next appointments. It is an all-around money and time saver.
Better Health Care
When you are getting treatments from home, you tend to get undivided attention from your psychiatrist or therapist even if it is through a video conference. They have set that time for you and nothing else. Visiting the hospital is quite the opposite. It is always packed with patients, busy, and hard to get full, effective attention. The environment alone may even cause anxiety.
Prevent/ Reduce Delays
There could be so much delay in going to the hospital, having to wait for doctors to finish their sessions or dealing with emergencies, and more. At the hospital, anything can happen, which may cause delays. While this is inevitable and expected of hospitals, it may be prevented, or rather be reduced by telepsychiatry.
When you have a set time for an appointment with the doctors, chances are, they have their own undisturbed office to carry out their telepsychiatry sessions with their patients, strictly for the set period of time. This maximizes your sessions and helps prevent delays.
