Telepsychiatry is the delivery of psychiatric and mental health services through secure telecommunications technology, allowing patients and psychiatric providers to meet remotely rather than requiring every appointment to take place in a traditional office.
Telepsychiatry is a specialized form of telehealth. Telehealth is the broader category of healthcare services delivered remotely, while telepsychiatry specifically focuses on psychiatric evaluation, mental health treatment, medication management, and related psychiatric services.
During a telepsychiatry appointment, patients can speak directly with their psychiatric provider through secure video technology from an appropriate private location. The conversation may involve symptoms, mental health history, treatment options, medications, side effects, progress, or other concerns affecting emotional and everyday functioning.
For some patients, receiving psychiatric care from home can also provide a greater sense of privacy and familiarity. There is no psychiatric waiting room, no regular commute to an office, and fewer of the logistical barriers that can make maintaining appointments difficult.
The technology changes where psychiatric care takes place, not the importance of the relationship between the patient and provider.
Serenity Health Telepsychiatry provides virtual psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and follow-up psychiatric care for eligible patients located in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maine, and California.
