Behavioral health conditions tend to require ongoing treatment. With such a high need, there will never be enough hospital staff to handle the volume of behavioral health patients entering the health system, let alone their ongoing care.
Telepsychiatry offers a practical solution for more efficient distribution of clinical psychiatric resources like LCSWs, psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychiatrists. Behavioral health can be treated effectively in a remote setting because it isn't an illness where severity and treatment are based on lab tests, biomarkers or physical examinations.
There also is an element of privacy that accompanies telepsychiatry. In a virtual visit, patients don't have to sit in a waiting room with other people. Telepsychiatry facilitates a highly private setting where only the patient and provider are involved. This privacy helps to reduce the fear of being stigmatized, again leading to a more satisfying experience.
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