Transition of Mental Health Service Delivery to Telepsychiatry in Response to COVID-19: A Literature Review

Abstract

Due to COVID-19, face-to-face mental health service delivery has been interrupted by social distancing and stay-at-home orders. To abridge physical distance between patients and healthcare providers, while limiting exposure to COVID-19, telepsychiatry has been widely adopted to provide services to patients with pre-existing mental health disorders. Though telepsychiatry has become more mainstream in delivering mental health services during COVID-19, evaluation studies of the rapid conversion of care delivery from face-to-face to telepsychiatry have been limited. The aim of this study was to review the literature on the transition of mental health service delivery to telepsychiatry during COVID-19. The findings of the current review showed that a majority of patients and healthcare providers were satisfied with telepsychiatry services, and suggest that telepsychiatry is feasible and appropriate for supporting patients and healthcare providers during COVID-19.