Telepsychiatry For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

By Annabelle Holman


Individuals who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and live in remote areas can now receive psychiatric services through telepsychiatry . It is a kind of treatment that uses live video conferencing to provide psychiatric care at a distance. Telepsychiatry for post-traumatic stress disorder is proving to be an effective way of treating the illness.

Now just to give people an idea of how this method of treatment came into place, it was first used in Nebraska Psychiatric Institute some time in the fifties. After some time, the University of Nebraska did some research on this method and got positive results. Eventually, the Dartmouth Medical School was able to conclude that this method was really good when it comes to building rapport with patients.

By 1994, it was being utilized in approximately sixteen programs. By 1997, it was further utilized as around twenty five programs were using it. In recent times, there is vast use of this method to provide psychiatric services in patients and it is continuing to increase in usage due to its convenience and efficacy.

Because of its efficiency and convenience, this method of treating is becoming more and more popular. In fact, a few researchers discovered that the patients who were diagnosed with PSTD and received this kind of treatment had fewer symptoms after a certain period of time. Of course nothing still beats in person treatment however this method has shown to be a great alternative if there may be obstacles to receiving in person treatment.

A lot of patients would have positive feedback about this method. Most of them would say that in the absence of face to face sessions, this alternative would still allow the doctors to be able to check on them. The doctors would also find this useful as they can provide services from miles away.

Another thing to take note of is that people who are diagnosed with this condition are very fearful of travelling and going to crowded places. This is where video conferencing can be very convenient and helpful to the patients. Clearly, it will not be helpful to the condition of patients suffering from this condition f they still go to the doctor for an in person treatment given their fear of travel and crowded places as they will just get more anxious.

Aside from the convenience video conferencing provides, it is also proving to be boosting the adherence of patients to the therapy and lowering the cost carried by institutions. There are fewer cancellations of patients in video conferencing as compared to in person treatment. Also, it would cost institutions less if they treat patients via video conferencing. One ongoing cost analysis shows that it would cost around 94,000 dollars treating a hundred patients via video sessions and 106,000 dollars treating them in person.

This is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the world of medicine because of both its efficiency and its convenience. In fact, it is beneficial to both the therapist and the patient. The therapist may now be able to check in his patients that are far away, and the patients do not need to get out of their houses to receive treatment anymore.




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