For as long as anybody can remember, mental health has been taboo. People have only lately begun to recognize mental health disorders and seek therapy for them.
When the nearest psychiatrist’s office is dozens or even hundreds of miles away, a virtual link may be enough to assist individuals with major mental health disorders access appropriate therapy through their primary care clinic, according to new research.
The research also reveals which patients may require more assistance when receiving such therapy. Half of the patients spoke with a distant psychiatrist and psychologist directly, while the other half mostly interacted with team members at a local primary care clinic who were guided by a distant psychiatrist.
The research was done before to the Covid epidemic. “The study began at a period when doctors were hesitant to use telemedicine or integrated care models to treat psychiatrically complicated patients. One of the primary worries, understandably, was involvement in care “Severe said.
“This study found that patients with multiple psychiatric disorders and many chronic physical health problems can successfully engage in mental health therapy with their primary care physicians or distant mental health experts.”
The study used two approaches: Telepsychiatry Collaborative Care, in which a psychiatrist makes the initial diagnosis via video and the local clinic team provides brief psychotherapy while the local primary care physician handles medication prescriptions with consultation from the tele psychiatrist; and Telepsychiatry Collaborative Care, in which a psychiatrist makes the initial diagnosis via video and the local clinic team provides brief psychotherapy while the local primary care physician handles medication prescriptions with consultation from the tele psychiatrist. Telepsychiatry/Telepsychology Enhanced Referral, in which a psychiatrist makes the initial diagnosis and manages drug prescriptions through telehealth, while a psychologist delivers psychotherapy. Another research published this summer that used data from the SPIRIT trial found that patients in both groups reported significant increases in perceived access to care, reductions in mental health symptoms and medication side effects, and improvements in their quality of life.
Patients who have substance problems or are experiencing manic episodes as a result of their bipolar disease may require extra help to begin or continue psychotherapy, according to the findings.
It also revealed that people with various physical health problems are more likely to stick to their mental health drugs and talk therapy programs, maybe because they are already seeing the primary care clinic for other reasons.
