Telehealth technology has made a significant impact on our lives. With just a few clicks on our mobile phones and laptops, we can access any information, purchase any product, and avail of any service. Now, telecommunications technology is transforming our health care industry too.
Physicians now have telemedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of a patient through telecommunication. Clinical psychologists, therapists, counselors now have telemental health care to provide therapy remotely through telecommunication like video conferencing or chat rooms. So what is telemental health, and how can we benefit from it?
What Is Telemental Health?
Telemental health, also known as telebehavioral health, telepsychiatry, or online therapy, is an effective conventional mental care. It involves providing psychotherapy or behavioral therapy remotely through messaging, calling, or video conferencing. Telemental health changed the mental health care industry by offering mental health care to those who may lack access because of location, schedule constraints, or are hesitant to have a face-to-face consultation.
It is undeniable that some people do not have the opportunity to seek help for their mental well-being. That is why telemental health is here. Telemental health counseling can bring life-changing services to those who cannot leave their homes due to the pandemic, those who are too busy at work, patients from nursing homes, and people from overseas. Even individuals from other countries or those who live in remote or rural areas can now experience telemental health services with just a few clicks.
How Do Telemental Health Interventions Work?
If you’re wondering how telemental health care works, you need to know about the modes of communications available, services, payment options, health information privacy, therapy, and the diagnosis procedure. Here is how telemental health interventions work:
- Modes of Communication: There are many ways to communicate with mental health professionals. Telemental health includes video conferencing, therapy through call, text messaging, communication through mobile phone apps, e-mail, blog posts, chatbox, or directly through the website portal. There are many ways to communicate through the internet. You can use your mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop anytime, anywhere.
- Services: The telemental health services usually include counseling, psychiatry, and case management. Only choose reliable websites offering individualized online mental health services. Telemental health counseling services are provided for individuals, couples, or families. Then, psychiatry services are conducted by licensed nurses to help with psychiatric symptoms in children and adults and medication management. Telemental health includes targeted case management to give you support on where you want to be in life.
- Payment Modes: When availing of telehealthcare plans, payment modes are usually online with major credit cards. Insurances like Medicaid, Wellcare, Anthem, Passport, Medicare, and many more are typically accepted. If you opt to use your insurance, always check in with the telemental health services provider first.
- Health Information Privacy: Are your private information protected during a telehealth session? Yes! Telemental health services comply with the Protected Health Information (PHI) mandate by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to safeguard all patients’ information. All of your personal information, diagnosis, treatments, and therapies are safe during all sessions and websites.
- Therapy & Diagnosis Procedure: During a session like a video conferencing, the client can choose the best mode of communication with the mental health professional. The patient can tell their psychiatrist of their mental health concerns, symptoms felt. Through the assessment process, your mental health provides collects the data to help determine the presence of mental illness, diagnosis, and therapy. Then your health care provider develops a plan of care for your treatment and recovery. Throughout the course of the online therapy, you will be guided every step of the way involving patient education on behavioral health, and sessions will mostly include open communication.
The Benefits of Online Mental Health Services
According to the American Psychiatric Association, telepsychiatry is recorded as early as the 1950s. Ever since, it has helped a lot of patients, and accessing mental health care is better than ever. Mental health professionals and patients enjoy the many benefits of telemental health. Here are some of the benefits of telepsychiatry:
Easy Access
Telemental health services are now within easy access for everybody. This benefits most people who live in remote and rural areas where there is limited access to health care services. It can also benefit persons with hearing and speaking disabilities through a chat room, text, and e-mail services.
Time and Cost-Efficient
Those who have problems with their work schedule, can’t leave their house, or those in the nursing home will benefit most from telemental health services. For some, visiting going to therapy will take time because of the long waiting cues, plus traveling may be costly. There’s no need to take time off work to talk to your therapist, and you can do it even in the office. Making an appointment is also a hassle; it may take days before you get an appointment. Telemental health services are time and cost-efficient; say goodbye to long queues, traffic, or long commutes.
Eases Stigma
Some individuals do not seek mental health care because of the stigma. They are afraid of what other people might say. So if you don’t want to be seen walking out of a mental health counselor’s office, you can always opt for telepsychiatry. This way, you can have video sessions and behavioral health therapy in private.
Improved Patient Engagement
Face-to-face mental health services sometimes aren’t as effective because of poor patient engagement. The patient may sometimes feel embarrassed to share personal information. With telemental health sessions, this can be avoided since the patient can share what they feel even through text or chat room. This improves patient engagement, with a high success rate in treatment.
Related: What To Know About Mental Health Screening
Will Telepsychiatry Health Care Work for Me?
Yes, telepsychiatry will work for you. Telemental health sessions are proven to be an effective mental health care alternative. The primary care during video sessions, group therapy show improvement to those who have a mental illness, substance use disorder, marriage counseling, family therapy, autism spectrum disorder, or those who seek emotional support.
Telehealth therapy is conducted by mental health providers who are licensed professionals and expert counselors to provide healthcare services to adults and children. Telehealth therapy is patient care counseling proven to be advantageous, cost-effective, and convenient. Access your internet now and talk to the mental health professionals of the Kentucky Counseling Center; enjoy their expert telemental health services from the convenience of your home.
