Telepsychiatry For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

By Annabelle Holman


Individuals who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and live in remote areas can now receive psychiatric services through telepsychiatry . It is a kind of treatment that uses live video conferencing to provide psychiatric care at a distance. Telepsychiatry for post-traumatic stress disorder is proving to be an effective way of treating the illness.

Now just to give people an idea of how this method of treatment came into place, it was first used in Nebraska Psychiatric Institute some time in the fifties. After some time, the University of Nebraska did some research on this method and got positive results. Eventually, the Dartmouth Medical School was able to conclude that this method was really good when it comes to building rapport with patients.

Now in the year 1994, around sixteen programs were using it. In the year 1997, it became even more popular as around twenty five programs were already using it. Nowadays, it is now a common way of treatment just in case one cannot go to in person treatments as this method is also pretty efficient.

Telepsychiatry is slowly becoming a popular way of treating post traumatic stress disorder. Many patients suffering from this condition who were provided psychotherapy through video conferencing showed fewer symptoms and were less depressed, anxious and stressed. Although treatment via video conference does not improve the symptoms as much as in person treatment, it still provides a major improvement.

Now there are even some patients who are diagnosed with this disorder who would say that this type of treatment is really good. They said that the doctors can be able to contact them even though they are miles away. With this, the doctor is able to give them psychiatric services even if they are not presently at the clinic of the doctor.

Now another very important thing to know about people with this condition is that they are extremely scared of going to crowded areas. Now if they would be in crowded places or travel long distances, there is a chance that their condition may actually get worse. It is here that video conferencing can be pretty useful because it allows the doctors to give treatment while the patient is at home.

Aside from the convenience video conferencing provides, it is also proving to be boosting the adherence of patients to the therapy and lowering the cost carried by institutions. There are fewer cancellations of patients in video conferencing as compared to in person treatment. Also, it would cost institutions less if they treat patients via video conferencing. One ongoing cost analysis shows that it would cost around 94,000 dollars treating a hundred patients via video sessions and 106,000 dollars treating them in person.

This is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the world of medicine because of both its efficiency and its convenience. In fact, it is beneficial to both the therapist and the patient. The therapist may now be able to check in his patients that are far away, and the patients do not need to get out of their houses to receive treatment anymore.




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