Benefits of Telemedicine

Date: February 22, 2023 Author: Celeste Turner, LCSW

The use of telemedicine has increased significantly in the last few years. Prior to the COVID19 pandemic many mental health providers didn’t know it was an option additionally, the majority of insurance companies didn’t cover virtual appointments. 

Here at Changing Minds Psychiatry we have personally seen how telemedicine appointments have started to close the gap in access to psychiatric mental health care. From the beginning of 2020 to date we have provided approximately 32,742 virtual appointments. Each year the numbers rise by the thousands. 

The benefits of telemedicine include:

• Increasing access to quality care to Nevada rural families, working providers, individuals with limited transportation options, and patients with disabilities. 

• Access to all patient paperwork via the patient portal. 

• The use of Secure HIPAA compliant platforms for video calls. 

• Develop therapeutic relationship with your provider.

• Effective treatment in the security of your home, stationary vehicle, quiet office, or etc.

To improve your outcomes of successful online treatment:

• Take some time to read about your provider 

• Practice signing in to your provider’s online lobby before your appointment

• Arrive to your appointment 10-15 minutes prior to scheduled appointment time 

• Create a comfortable and private space where you can completely focus on your treatment equipped with water, sensory items, something to write with for personal notes, and tissues. 

Remember that all psychiatric care takes time. Telemedicine treatment sometimes is not the right fit for everyone depending on your experience with therapy, home life, and/or mental health functioning. Although results are not always overnight we are here to walk alongside you to guide you to better mental health. Consider increasing the possibilities of care by scheduling telehealth appointments.

**Telehealth, Telemedicine, Virtual, Doxy, E-counselling Video Call are all terms we use to describe online treatment services**