“Best Practices” and Telepsychiatry
Robert Caudill and Jay Shore, writing for the Modern Medicine Network, recently discussed the value of best practices in telepsychiatry. The premise of their article is the very real fact that telepsychiatry is no longer what they term an “esoteric curiosity.” It is mainstream, and while it has faced many obstacles, this innovation is no less real than countless others that have helped the public. One of the necessary outcomes of this expansion of acceptance for telepsychiatry has been the development of “best practice” guidelines for telemental health.
“In this regard, telepsychiatry is no different from any other area of medicine where technical developments have moved from theory to established and routine practice,” say the authors. “Activities, disciplines, and methods that are available to identify, implement, and monitor the available evidence in health care are called ‘best practices.’ Such guiding principles must hold up to the scrutiny of those who are active in the field.”
The two go on to discuss how repeatedly challenging and evaluating protocols is a must during the adoption phase of any new technology or method. “The evolution of telepsychiatry has followed this process,” they assert. “Specific technical organizations formed and grew to support such innovation. These groups then give back to the field through the aggregation of data followed by thoughtful synthesis and promulgation of this material to others who are prepared to follow.”
Speaking of specific best-practices for telemental health, Caudill and Shore conclude, “Other areas of the medical field where multiple groups are working in an area with intrinsic and overlapping interests in the success and growth of that initiative could benefit from emulating this process. Writings on technology topics are prone to having relatively short shelf-lives as the technologies themselves rapidly evolve.”
This all falls under the heading of “a good problem to have.” If we’re talking about best practices for telemental health, then the foregone conclusion is that this is a legitimate field that offers legitimate benefit. In other words, you don’t talk about how best to deliver a service that you don’t believe has value. Telepsychiatry remains the future of mental health in the United States... and around the world. As it continues to expand, we will continue to see a push for this type of evolution and development within the field.