Promote health and wellness for many with telemedicine services

Long gone are the days when medical professionals made rounds to the home of their patients via horse and carriage. During this time, patients were friendly, patient, and valued your presence. Nowadays, the scenario depicts a different picture. Huge hospitals and crowded clinics have replaced the patient’s home or small doctor’s office. Five story, congested parking lots have replaced the horse and carriage, and demanding patients, with unpleasant attitudes have replaced the warm, giving patients of the past. Medical professionals are often tasked with seeing numerous patients in a day, and become overwhelmed by the many demands faced. So, imagine the difference in both the doctor’s and patient’s experience, through incorporating telemedicine services.

Telemedicine allows the patient and doctor to interactively communicate in real time from distant sites. For example, your patient could be on vacation travelling in another state or country, and have the ability to communicate with you directly, instead of trying to connect with an unfamiliar individual in the area they are visiting. For individuals with mental health issues, telemedicine psychiatry is especially helpful during instances that are of critical nature. Emergency rooms treat patients with life threatening injuries first, so when individuals show up that have a mental affliction that is unseen, the individual may or may not receive the prompt attention needed.

Initially, patients may be weary of telemedicine services, and concerned about confidentiality. So, ensuring that secure telehealth practices are in place will be important. It is human nature to feel cautious at first, when anything new is attempted. Think back to when you purchased your first cellphone, you were probably a bit nervous at first, but felt more comfortable each time you used it. No different will the process of acclimating patients to telemedicine psychiatry. Fortunately, the many advancements in technology, such as Skype and Facebook, have undoubtedly prepared patients for the transition from office visits to telemedicine services.

Ideally, telemedicine services will eventually include individuals outside of private insurance coverage, which will equate to a more mentally healthy world. Increased accessibility to psychiatric services, will support better health and wellness for individuals that may otherwise slip between the cracks of bureaucratic health care systems. There are many individuals suffering because they have not received much needed psychiatric services, so offering secure telehealth will put them on path to maintaining a healthy balance.

If you are a Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Therapist, Counselor, or Treatment Center in the United States and would like a free demonstration, please click here.

Your HIPAA secure alternative to Skype

ePsychToday™ offers a secure, HIPAA compliant, video telemedicine service that enables mental health practitioners to video connect directly to their patients over the internet for remote treatment.

Why is this so significant? Sixty million Americans, almost 25% of the nation has some type of mental illness. Seven to eight billion dollars a year are spent for Mental Health treatment. Our doctors, hospitals, military, schools and prisons are flooded with people needing help and they do not have the resources to respond. Capacity of care has deteriorated, wait times for services are longer than ever, and the current economic challenges facing our nation will certainly put further limits on available funds.

ePsychToday™s remote Video/Audio Treatment Platform is secure, convenient, and affordable. Most importantly, it is an effective form of treatment for mental illness. Studies are showing that remote Video/Audio treatment is as effective as in-person therapy in treating PTSD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other conditions, while costing less due to reduced overhead and travel expenses. Research also shows patients are more likely to share sensitive information and form a therapeutic alliance on line than in-person. One study showed phone therapy increased patient retention from 50 percent to 92 percent.

Secure video telemedicine is an important and powerful practice management solution to help providers efficiently manage costs and schedule in serving the patient population. Virtual Psychiatry with ePsychToday™ is your next step.

Dr. Steve Lower is Founder and CEO of ePsychToday™. He received his doctorate from Temple University in 1972 with specialization in developmental and clinical psychology, and is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania. He is also President/CEO of Quantum Employee AssIstance Programs and Director of Psychology Associates Outpatient Mental Health Clinics. Dr. Lower’s 40 years experience in the practice, management and delivery of Mental Health Services gives him a well informed appreciation of the challenges facing providers today.

If you are a Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Therapist, Counselor, or Treatment Center in the United States and would like a free demonstration, please click here.

Telepsychiatry Plan Announced

In recent years, North Carolina faced high Emergency Department (ED) admissions related to an increase in behavioral health issues. It has been reported by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that more than 25 percent of individuals experiencing mental health crises that were admitted to EDs, return to the ED within 30 days.

The fact is that fifty eight counties in North Carolina now qualify as Health Professional Shortage Areas due to a lack of mental health providers. This is one of the reasons that mental health patients have been a growing burden for the state’s EDs and make up to 9.3 percent of ED visits.

The majority of the state EDs do not have access to a full time psychiatrist. Currently, there are 108 hospitals with either single EDs or in some cases multiple site EDs across the state that operate with varying degrees of psychiatric coverage.

To counteract the problem, Governor McCrory of North Carolina recently announced that a Statewide Telephsychiatry Program is being developed for the state to help individuals in emergency rooms have access to mental health professionals if a mental health or substance abuse issue is in a crisis mode.

The state will invest $4 million over two years in the telepsychiatry program which will be overseen by the HHS Office of Rural Health and Community Care.

The statewide telephsychiatry program due to begin operations January 2014 is built on the success of East Carolina University’s (ECU) Center for Telepsychiatry and e-Behavioral Health and the Albemarle Hospital Foundation Telepsychiatry Project.

The ECU Center’s program is going to establish the technology infrastructure and guidelines for administering the program. In addition, an advisory group will work to promote collaboration among partners. The hospitals in the ECU program have seen the average patient length of stay in the emergency department reduced to less than 24 hours.

The Albemarle Hospital Foundation telepsychiatry program started in 2011 has been able to make more than 4,000 psychiatric assessments for patients in EDs experiencing a mental health crisis. The Albermarle program funded by a three year $1.6 million grant from the Duke Endowment is now partnering with Vidant Health and the East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine.

The Statewide Telepsychiatry Program will use secure, real-time interactive audio and video technology to enable a mental health provider to diagnose and treat individuals needing care at any remote referring site.

The system involves the nurse rolling out a portable cart outfitted with a monitor, camera, and microphone into the patient’s bay or room. Then the nurse then establishes a secure link to the psychiatric provider site and introduces the patient to an intake specialist on the other end that has already reviewed the patient’s information.

The psychologist or social worker explores the patient’s situation and gathers more information from family members. At this point, a psychiatrist interviews the patient and makes a recommendation to the referring hospital physician who is ultimately responsible for care decisions.

Go to www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/news/telepsychiatry.cfm or www.albermarlehealth.org for more information.

State lawmakers target telemedicine in new bills
By Eric Wicklund, Editor, mHealthNews 

While their colleagues in Washington are starting to take interest in the promises of digital health, lawmakers in several states are forging ahead with their own legislative ideas.

According to the American Telemedicine Association, seven states and the District of Columbia have seen bills introduced in the past four weeks that address coverage and reimbursement for telemedicine services. To date, 16 states have mandated that all private payers in the state reimburse for telemedicine services if such services would be reimbursed through an in-person visit.

That increase in legislative interest was highlighted in a recent article written by ATA CEO Jonathan Linkous titled "Public Policy for Telehealth in 2013: It's Time for Government to Lead or Get Out of the Way." In the article, posted on the ATA website and in iHealthBeat , Linkous said he expects this year to be one of significant growth for the telehealth movement.

"After 40-plus years of development, telemedicine has finally come of age," Linkous wrote. "Whether you call it telehealth, mHealth or remote monitoring, the deployment of telemedicine is galloping. No longer relegated to demonstration grants or experimental research, mainstream medicine has joined up with Silicon Valley, private payers and consumer groups to make use of telecommunications technology to transform the delivery of care."

According to the ATA, since the beginning of 2013:
The District of Columbia has seen legislation filed by Councilwoman Mary Cheh that would require private health insurers and Medicaid to cover healthcare services via telemedicine, which is defined as "the delivery of healthcare services through the use of interactive audio, video or other electronic media used for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment." In Connecticut, State Sen. Joseph Crisco Jr. has filed a bill that would require health insurers to cover services provider through "telecommunications technology." In Florida, State Rep. Mia Jones has introduced a bill that would require insurers, including Medicaid, to provider coverage for telemedicine, extend Medicaid coverage for telemedicine to homecare services, provide coverage under the state plan or a waiver for home health services provided to eligible people with chronic conditions, and create a framework to allow for consults with practitioners and professionals in other states. In Mississippi, State Sen. Terry Burton has introduced a bill that would require insurers to cover telemedicine services if they are the same as a person would get through an in-person visit; the bill would also authorize healthcare providers licensed in the state to provide treatment recommendations to a patient after a telemedicine consult. In New Mexico, both State Rep. Stephen Easley and State Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino have filed bills requiring insurers to cover healthcare services provided via telemedicine. In South Carolina, State Sens. Raymond Cleary III, Bradley Hutto and Greg Hembree have filed a bill that would require individual or group health maintenance organizations to cover telemedicine services. In Indiana, State Sen. Vaneta Becker has filed a bill seeking to require Medicaid to reimburse certified home health agencies, federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics for telehealth services. In Nebraska, State Sens. Amanda McGill, Brad Ashford and Annette Dubas have filed a bill that would authorize telehealth services for public school students. In addition, State Sen. Colby Coash has filed a bill that would require health insurers to cover the screening, diagnosis and treatment of autism in those under 21 years of age, as well as authorizing behavioral health treatment through telehealth. And State Sen. Peter Pirsch has filed a bill that would create a Telehealth Behavioral Services Program for youths involved in juvenile justice programs.

In his article, Linkous decried the legislative barriers that have impeded the advance of telehealth. "Since ATA was launched in 1993, the leading barriers to the deployment of telemedicine in the U.S. have almost all involved government policy: Reimbursement by Medicare and Medicaid, state-based standards of care and professional licensing, device regulation and telecommunications policy, just to name a few. To date, government has been telehealth's lagging partner," he wrote.

Linkous then predicted that 2013 would be a banner year for telehealth. He noted the 16 states that have adopted telehealth legislation as well as the 14 states that provide some coverage for telemonitoring and seven that cover video-based home care. He also highlighted California Rep. Mike Thompson's recently introduced Telehealth Promotion Act, new rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission regarding the rural health program, and impending regulations from the Food and Drug Administration governing mobile medical devices.

"So 2013 will be chock-full of activity," Linkous concluded. "It is a year for federal and state governments to play catch-up with the rest of the health and technology sectors by either supporting the use of telemedicine or at least by ceasing to be a roadblock in its pathway to the future."

A virtual psychiatrist can mend lives from home

To practice psychiatry you are required to engage in several years of education and training. Numerous hours were dedicated to studying for exams, and fulfilling practicum hours. Family and friends were put on hold, while all attention and focus were intent upon the ultimate goal of becoming a psychiatrist. Now, licensed and eager to practice you find yourself unable to afford the costs of beginning a practice on your own, although it is your desire to work for yourself. You visit all types of office spaces, only to be disappointed by the appearance, location, or cost. Feeling discouraged, you may contemplate working for a large HMO, or joining an already established practice, all the while you know deep down that you do not want that to be your career fate. Now, take a moment to consider the possibilities of working exclusively as a virtual psychiatrist.

There are many sensible practice management solutions available to help you reduce overhead costs and reduce billing discrepancies. All helpful, but not related to the actual treatment of your patients, in the same way video telemedicine aids your practice. As a virtual psychiatrist, you will have the ability to connect with more patients, and at a fraction of the cost you would have spent leasing a space. Relieved by reduced financial stress, will allow more time and attention to focus upon the increased effort you are putting into your patient’s treatment plan. Your patient will appreciate the ease in access they have to you, and you will appreciate your lessened financial burdens.

Step out, and be on the cutting edge of psychiatric treatment as a virtual psychiatrist, who utilizes advanced practice management solutions, such as video telemedicine, on a daily basis to treat your clients. Your colleagues will be impressed by your willingness to step outside of the norm of psychiatry practice, and be envious of your low overhead costs. To become a psychiatrist, an advanced level of intelligence was required, and to successfully practice and maintain, the same degree of intelligence will be required. Times are rapidly changing, and although some things are best left the same, there are others that get better with slight change.