Telepsychiatry takes teamwork

Abstract

As use and interest in telepsychiatry grows, it is important to maintain a collaborative approach to care. This chapter focuses on tips for establishing and sustaining successful teams of remote and on-site providers who work together to share information and ensure consistent, high-quality care. This chapter gives guidelines for providers and partners to consider when establishing a working relationship, when working to train team members on this new medium, and when maintaining and sustaining a group treatment approach. For providers, this chapter shares best practice tips for setting up your telepsychiatry office, clinical tips for adapting your practice to televideo, and communication tips for projecting your points while connecting with both consumers and peer providers via televideo. There is also a particular focus on psychiatry and the intricacies of prescribing through this medium. This chapter also delves into some of the regulatory considerations that a remote provider needs to be aware of in order to deliver care appropriately. Lastly, it discusses options for telepsychiatry careers and the pros and cons of employed versus contract options. Based on best practice lessons from one of the most practiced telepsychiatrists in the nation, Dr. James Varrell, this chapter gives a real-world look into the day-to-day considerations of a telepsychiatrist.