Question 1

What conditions are treatable through telepsychiatry?

Accepted Answer

Telemedicine allows for treatment of any condition that does not require physical presence to treat.  Psychiatry is uniquely suitable for telemedicine practice.  Therapy, counseling, diagnosis, and treatment for nearly every psychological disorder — whether related to mood, anxiety, cognitive functioning, substance dependency, etc. — can be conducted via telepsychiatric sessions.

Telepsychiatry has the added benefit of allowing for specialists to conference in from anywhere in the country, or even the world, meaning that you can treat more specific, more esoteric, or more exotic conditions as needed.

Question 2

Do I need specialized equipment for telepsychiatry?

Accepted Answer

In order to implement telepsychiatry, you need only a solid internet connection (DSL, cable, T1 or higher) and a device capable of videoconferencing.  While a laptop or PC with a good web camera and microphone are preferable, a tablet or even a smartphone can work in a pinch for teleconferencing.

No specialized media equipment is necessary, although you can certainly set up a conference room for ideal communications with a larger group of people.

Question 3

Is telepsychiatry as effective as in-person sessions?

Accepted Answer

The psychiatric professionals at Orbit Health are among the best in the industry.  They can provide clinical diagnoses, treatments, and effective outcomes, as well as increase community health in wellness, especially in underserved areas.

The lack of physical proximity does not inhibit our experts’ ability to diagnose and treat patients suffering from any number of psychiatric conditions.  The level of privacy and confidentiality is the same as in-person care.

Research shows that telepsychiatry is just as effective as in-person, face-to-face care.  Many patients, in fact, find that psychiatric treatment via videoconferencing is less intimidating or embarrassing.  Patients, psychiatrists, and other professionals have all reported high levels of satisfaction with telepsychiatry since its inception.

Question 4

Can medication be prescribed via telepsychiatry?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  Our licensed psychiatrists are able to prescribe medications for patients they diagnose and treat remotely.  Our providers will write and sign the prescriptions, which can then be transmitted to the clinic for local fulfilment.

Question 5

Where do patients receive treatment?

Accepted Answer

Patients can visit their local clinic, medical office, or hospital.  Wherever you can set up a private space for video conferencing, patients can comfortably sit and engage with our mental health professionals.

Question 6

Has research been done to prove forensic telepsychiatry works? What’s the evidence base?

Accepted Answer

Yes, telepsychiatry has been comparable to in-person care among inmates in jail, prison, and correctional facilities. Video visits with telepsychiatric evaluations are used used to treat inmates with a variety of psychiatric illness in a range of severity, including severe mental illness. Decades of studies demonstrates telepsychiatry’s usefulness.

Vacancies and staffing issues in correctional facilities can impact access to care. Physical space requirements, security requirements, and correctional work culture pressures discourage healthcare providers from working in the correctional facility environment.

Telepsychiatry fills these vacancies, can ease burden on clinicians and providers, and takes less physical space than having more personnel on-site.

With the adoption of telepsychiatry, inmates can be seen early in their incarceration. Patient satisfaction has been shown to be high in forensic psychiatric patients with remote video visits. Acceptability has additionally shown to be high amongst jail personnel.

A meta-analysis — a study of multiple studies — looked at telepsychiatry used in acute settings, including inpatient units. They showed that the quality of clinical interaction is similar to in-person face-to-face encounters, and that telepsychiatry has been cost-effective.

Sources:

* Kaftarian, Edward. "Lessons Learned in Prison and Jail-Based Telepsychiatry." Current psychiatry reports 21.3 (2019): 15.
* Salmoiraghi A, Hussain S: "A Systematic Review of the Use of Telepsychiatry in Acute Settings" Journal of Psychiatric Practice. 2015; 21 (5):389-93
* Brodey et al, 2000. Satisfaction of forensic psychiatry patients with remote telepsychiatric evaluation. Psych Services: Oct 51(10): 1305-7.
* Leonard S: "The Successes and Challenges of Developing a Prison Telepsychiatry Service" Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2004; 10 (S1): 69-71
* Zaylor C, Whitten P, Kingsley C: "Telemedicine Services to a County Jail" Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2000; 6 (S1): 93-95

Question 7

How do you optimize internet speeds, audio and video?

Accepted Answer

Internet Speed: Anyone can test the bandwidth by going to websites like speedtest.net.  Upload speeds of over 3mps are generally effective if there are not a whole lot of other programs running on the computer.  However, it’s probably best to shoot for higher speeds and your internet service provider can give you options.  If you can afford it, its best to have the highest speeds the company can offer.  Also, ask for “dedicated bandwidth” which some companies offer that prevents your neighbors internet usage to bring down your own bandwidth.  Also, keep in mind that other devices running in the same household can hog up bandwidth and reduce the quality of the telehealth connection.

Computer: Most computers these days have enough power for videoconferencing.   However, computers that have a minimum of 8 gigs of RAM and I7 processors provide a more reliable videoconferencing experience (you might be able to get away with using an I3 or I5 processor, but this sometimes results in a slow computer response).

Video: Most (but not all) computers these days have cameras that are adequate for videoconferencing.  If your computer does not have a good camera, webcams can be purchased cheaply ($50-100).  While 720p video mode (“HD ready”) may be adequate, it is helpful to have a 1080p resolution (High Definition).  
While video is important, appointments are more often impacted by poor audio.  Oftentimes, people run audio through their computers which is hit or miss.  For a better quality of audio, you can purchase a microphone/speaker combination device which can be plugged into the USB port of your computer.  This will make audio clearer and filter out background noise.

It is a good idea to do a test run with the patient, clinic, or hospital, prior to the appointment to determine what equipment is being used and to experience the quality of the videoconferencing appointment.  Look to make sure there is no pixilation, freezing, graininess, or blurry video.  Make sure the video and audio are in sync--- in other words, the audio is not lagging behind the video.  Make sure that the audio is clear and that you can easily understand what the other person is saying.  Both parties (patient and doctor) should be able to talk at the same time and still hear each other if the audio is working correctly.

Paying attention to and optimizing the quality of video and audio will improve the telehealth experience for everyone.

Question 8

I need a psychologist

Accepted Answer

If you are an administrator seeking services for your healthcare organization or facility, please contact us through our website,https://www.orbithealth.com/contact-us/  However, if you are a patient seeking services for yourself or your family/friend, we cannot provide care directly to you.  If this is a medical or mental health emergency, please call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately.

Question 9

What services does Orbit Health offer?

Accepted Answer

Orbit Health offers all of the key psychiatric services to all 50 states.

Weekday, weekend, on-call, overnight, flexible, subspecialty care, consultation, remote medical director.

* **Community outpatient & inpatient services:** Orbit Health provides telepsychiatrists to your ED via high quality videoconferencing technology. To the patient, this is no different than having an onsite psychiatrist. The doctor reviews the medical record, meets with the patient, and submits the clinical documentation directly into your electronic medical record. [Read More](https://www.orbithealth.com/telepsychiatry-services/outpatient-and-community-clinics/)
* **Addiction Treatment Centers:** Telepsychiatrists are made available to clinics and residential treatment programs. Face-to-face appointments with patients happen virtually, and will look and feel almost identical to in-person appointments. The telepsychiatrists are also available to consult with other members of the treatment team via videoconference. [Read More](https://www.orbithealth.com/telepsychiatry-services/addiction-treatment-centers/)
* **Emergency Departments & Crisis Centers:** Orbit Health provides telepsychiatrists to your ED via high quality videoconferencing technology. To the patient, this is no different than having an onsite psychiatrist. The doctor reviews the medical record, meets with the patient, and submits the clinical documentation directly into your electronic medical record. [Read More](https://www.orbithealth.com/telepsychiatry-services/emergency-departments-and-crisis-centers/)
* **Skilled Nursing Facilities & Assisted Living:** Orbit Health provides telepsychiatrists at the patient’s bedside via high quality videoconferencing technology. From the patient’s perspective, there is little difference between an appointment with an onsite psychiatrist and that of a telepsychiatrist. The doctor reviews the medical record, meets with the patient, and submits the clinical documentation directly into the electronic medical record. [Read More](https://www.orbithealth.com/telepsychiatry-services/skilled-nursing-facilities-and-assisted-living/)
* **Forensic Telepsychiatry Services:** In many cases, forensic evaluations and testimony can be accomplished remotely, via videoconferencing. Forensic telepsychiatry makes sense, and it saves time and money. Attorneys and judges are increasingly accepting the concept of forensic telepsychiatry as a convenient and effective way to utilize expert testimony. [Read More](https://www.orbithealth.com/telepsychiatry-services/forensic-telepsychiatry-services/)

Question 10

Why choose Orbit Health for your correctional facility?

Accepted Answer

Orbit Health is different from other telepsychiatry companies because Orbit Health's primary mission is to [end the cycle of mass incarceration of the mentally ill.](https://www.orbithealth.com/telepsychiatry-services/correctional-care/cycle-of-mass-incarceration-of-the-mentally-ill/)   Led by the world’s leading experts and pioneers in correctional telepsychiatry, Orbit Health has specialized knowledge, skill, and experience to provide the finest quality of services to jails, prisons, juvenile detention centers, and forensic hospitals.

Many correctional settings struggle to meet State and Federal mental health care mandates, often due to limited psychiatric resources.  Patients behind bars struggle to achieve psychiatric stability, making it difficult to function in these settings and leading to worsening outcomes, such as rules violations and enhanced sentences.  Time and again, Orbit Health has improved access to care while reduced patient backlogs, thereby helping facilities function safely and efficiently.

Orbit Health's goal is to ensure patients attain stability before, during, and after incarceration in order to achieve success in any setting.  Mental and emotional stability reduces the rate of recidivism, and nobody in the world does this better than Orbit Health.

If you are looking for correctional telepsychiatry services for your facility, or you are a provider looking for a job opportunity in corrections, [contact Orbit Health today](https://www.orbithealth.com/contact-us/)!

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