Psychotherapy at a public hospital in the time of COVID-19: telehealth and implications for practice

Abstract

As the crisis of global pandemic continues to unfold and alter the everyday workings of public life, early trends in the impact on mental healthcare treatment at a safety-net hospital illuminate implications for clinical work in the public sector under unprecedented conditions and beyond. While there are many important areas to consider and research to come, the current paper will explore the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on attendance of psychotherapy sessions. The authors point to early evidence from their caseloads in an outpatient psychodynamic psychotherapy training program showing a statistically significant decrease in missed appointments upon switching, in crisis, to a telehealth model. In this paper we explore possible reasons for this decrease in missed appointments, including psychological reasons (such as increased need for connection) and logistical reasons (such as eliminating barriers to attendance). Finally, we point to considerations and implications for practice during and after the crisis of the pandemic has subsided, and consider ways in which the changing approach may, in effect, increase access and remove barriers to care that pre-date our current crisis.