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 Occasionally, even great ideas – like telepsych – take a while to gain popularity. Though the practice has been around for six decades, its usage has grown recently as telepsychiatry technology has evolved to provide better access and quality. The last few years have seen significant increase in the rates at which healthcare providers and patients are using telepsychiatry services with positive results.

Telepsych services are transforming access to care for the nearly 90 million Americans living in mental health care professional shortage areas, according to the Health Resources & Services Administration. Many of these underserved Americans are in rural areas, where poverty, unemployment, and accidents and natural disasters are more prevalent. 

Throughout his career, Dr. Jorel Martinez has combined both his medical and cultural expertise to serve the Spanish-speaking community’s health needs. He spent time before medical school breaking down language barriers as an interpreter for the National Institutes of Health, and his bilingual abilities helped him provide the most effective care as a psychiatry resident at the University of Chicago. 

Today, Martinez works as a telepsychiatrist with Regroup, serving patients at two clinics focused on providing behavioral health services to lower-income communities, Oak Street Health and Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4). Forty percent of the patients Martinez sees are Spanish speakers, and this bilingual and bicultural psychiatrist is just the doctor they want – and need – to see on the screen.

Six decades of research have shown that telepsychiatry is an effective alternative when in-person treatment for mental health care is not feasible or unavailable. By exploring the benefits of telepsychiatry, healthcare facilities can make informed decisions about how to best provide quality mental healthcare based on their specific needs and the needs of the patient populations they serve.

Telepsychiatry Technology Basics

When rolling out a telepsychiatry program, one of the first things to establish is an effective telepsychiatry technology stack. A technology stack is the software and hardware that creates the infrastructure to support your computer systems. While that may sound daunting, it is not. With the right equipment, reliable software and appropriate training, you can run your program seamlessly. 

Outpatient telepsychiatry is the delivery of telepsychiatry services in an outpatient setting, usually within a community health center. With nearly one in five U.S. adults living with mental illness today, outpatient telepsychiatry is leveraging the power of technology to help more people access the mental healthcare they need.

As a senior consulting psychiatrist with Regroup, Dr. Omar Elhaj provides telepsychiatry for correctional facilities across Illinois. Conveniently working from his home office, he is able to offer critical care to patients in remote areas, where psychiatric services can be difficult to access.

Degree of service gap in correctional settings

A large percentage of inmates struggle with mental health conditions. However, access to appropriate psychiatric care within correctional settings has been limited due to a variety of factors, including the shortage of clinicians, the geographic locations of correctional settings, and financial issues. In addition, there are staffing and security requirements that can cause delays to care.