5 Benefits of Telepsychiatry

Over the past few years, the world has changed how it does almost everything, from ordering groceries online, to working remotely, to receiving health care services via telemedicine.

As a board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Ifeanyi Olele of Genesis Psychiatric Solutions offers telepsychiatry appointments so you can take advantage of mental health services even when you can’t or won’t leave your home.

How telepsychiatry works

Telepsychiatry is a term used for psychiatry sessions that take place over a video call or teleconference. Telepsychiatry is part of the bigger field of telehealth, which is designed to give more people access to health care by reducing the need for in-person appointments.

Anyone with a connected device can take advantage of telepsychiatry. All you have to do is connect to the call, activate voice and/or video, and begin your session from the comfort of your own home.

Benefits of telepsychiatry

Telepsychiatry has many benefits for patients who need an alternative solution to going to a psychiatrist’s office. Here are five of them:

Visits available without needing to leave the home

For patients with social anxiety, agoraphobia (fear of going outside), or a physical disability, being able to make and keep mental health appointments without needing to leave home is important. This prevents patients who need help from canceling appointments because of their conditions or phobias.

No need to arrange transportation or suffer a long commute

Many people don’t have readily available transportation, and having to arrange and pay for a way to get to their psychiatrist’s office is just another hurdle in their way when they want to seek help. An added burden is the commute time, particularly if taking public transportation, which can add hours to the trip.

Access for those who live in areas where care access is limited

It’s estimated that 150 million Americans now live in designated mental health professional shortage areas. This can make it almost impossible to get the services they need.

And it’s not only a matter of how far away they are from a mental health provider, but the fact that open appointment slots can be months away.

Get seen more quickly with telehealth options over in-person visits

Scheduling in-person visits can mean waiting longer for an appointment because of busy doctor schedules and the complexities of running a practice.

Mental health clinics or individual psychiatric practices can use their time and staff more efficiently by scheduling you for telehealth, which cuts out a lot of the office logistics. It’s often possible to get fit in quickly for a telehealth visit if a doctor has an in-person cancellation.

Protect the physical and mental health of highly vulnerable patients

Patients who have a high risk of infection are ideal candidates for telepsychiatry. So are people with mental health diagnoses like germaphobia, which can make going to a doctor’s office feel like running a gauntlet.

With telemedicine, you don’t have to deal with the pressures of leaving your safe space, and you don’t run the added risk of catching the flu or another infectious disease.

Dr. Olele is dedicated to providing all of our patients with the counsel they need, when and where they need it. He performs a full range of services using telepsychiatry, including evaluations, therapy, medication management, and more.

If you’re interested in telepsychiatry, get in touch with us by visiting our contact page. We have locations in Washington, DC; Fairfax and Alexandria, Virginia; Los Angeles, California; and Boca Raton, Florida. But, of course, with telepsychiatry, you don’t have to live near any of those locations.