TELEPSYCHIATRY.pptx

Tele Psychiatry basics
Tele medicine

1. TELEPSYCHIATRY:THE FUTURE AHEAD Presented By : Punam Kumari Sharma Counsellor Tele –MANAS Central Institute of Psychiatry, Kanke

2. Telemedicine Telemedicine is defined as the intervention of a telecommunication device in the diagnosis, treatment and overall care of patients that are separated from healthare providers by a distance. It can be used for research, evaluation purposes as well as providing continuing education to health care providers. It has been providing substantial healthcare to low income, remote regions.

3. Telemedicine in India 70 % of India’s population live in rural areas. 90% of secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities are in cities and towns Limited accessibility and availability of healthcare services Limited facilities and investment in healthcare in rural areas Huge treatment gap exists in majority of India.

4. Telepsychiatry The use of videoconferencing in Psychiatry began during the 1950s. The Nebraska Psychiatric Institute used videoconferencing to provide group therapy, consultant-liaison psychiatry and medical student training. By 2000s, it had slowly gained wide world popularity. With huge burden of unmet mental healthcare needs, rising prevalence of mental illnesses, and rapid rise in Internet connectivity, Telepsychiatry has offered a wonderful solution.

5. Telepsychiatry in India Telepsychiatry services was started in India by the Schizophrenia Research Foundation ( SCARF ). Started off with the SCARF Telepsychiatry in Pudukkottai ( STEP ) Program in Tamil Nadu.

6. SCARF is a non-governmental organization providing quality care and rehabilitation service in field of mental health since 1984. SCARF introduced the first and only mobile Telepsychiatry service in the country using technology to bridge this gap in the community. Telepsychiatry services were widely accepted and endorsed by the rural population in the remote villages that were in dire need of mental health services.

7. Why Telepsychiatry? Improve patient access to specialists and Mental Health Providers Improve Quality Of Care Improve Access to Care Improve Cost Efficiency Helpful in catering to marginalized and special populations, like prison inmates, elderly, immobilized persons, etc.

8. COVID Pandemic and Tele Mental Health Services The lockdown and restrictions imposed due to the COVID pandemic affected the regular delivery of health care services. It lead to the demand and emergence of Telemedicine in India on a large scale. Telepsychiatry services and mental health-related phone helplines were widely used to provide help during the C ovid -19 pandemic. Thereafter, the Government of India has made serious efforts to extend the reach of the National Tele Mental Health Program and introduced the Tele Medicine guidelines as well.

9. Pros and Cons of Telepsychiatry Advantages Better reach to remote areas Cost effective Avoid face to face consultation, less stigma Beneficial to special population More acceptibility Disadvantages Interoperability problems Need standard technological suport Not much useful in psychiatric emergencies like suicide & self-harm risks Ethical & Legal issues

10. Modes of communication Synchronous : face to face, real-time Asynchronous : not real-time, Store and forward mechanism Can be done through telephone, messaging, e-mail, online chat, website, chat room, video conferencing The patient can directly communicate with professional; or The patient stays at a remote location; the nearby professional communicates with the expert.

11. Current Scenario In India, NIMHANS , PGIMER and SCARF has been pioneering Institutes. The Government has implemented telemedicine through eSanjeevani in the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs). This step has minimized inequity and barriers to access of quality health care. Advocating the use of digital tools for improving the efficiency and outcome of the mental healthcare system, the National Tele Mental Health Programme, Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States ( Tele-MANAS ) was announced in the Union Budget of 2022.

12. Tele-MANAS The Tele-Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States(Tele-MANAS) was launched on 10 th October, 2022 (World mental health day) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Aim : To provide free, 24/7, Tele mental health services all over country. Functions : Provide mental health counselling services through Tele MANAS Cells Establishing linkages with physical in-person consultations for those who need in the districts (through connecting to District Mental Health Program/DMHP, through eSanjeevani video consultations, and also at the mentoring institutions, which are mntal health institutes/medical colleges).

13. Conclusion Technology is bringing about revolution in every field, including mental health care. Telepsychiatry will improve health care capacity and reduce inequity. Collaborative efforts from government, non-governmental organisations and the community would help in more effective deliveryof telepsychiatry services.

14. References Thara R, John S, Rao K. Telepsychiatry in Chennai, India: the SCARF experience. Journal Of Behavior Science law; 2008; 26(3): 315–322. Drago A, Winding T, and Antypa N. Videoconferencing in psychiatry, a meta-analysis of assessment and treatment. Europion Psychiatry: 2016; 36: 29–37. Wootton R, Craig J, and Patterson V. Introduction to telemedicine. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2017 .