INTRODUCTION
It is widely recognized that mental illness affects a significant proportion of the population; however, it is complicated to determine exact numbers. This problem can be attributed to such issues as the changing definitions of mental illness as well as difficulties in classifying, diagnosing, and reporting mental disorders. Limitations to adequate mental health services including social stigma, cultural incompatibility between patients and providers, language barriers, lack of insurance and logistical barriers. In addition, significant differences in socioeconomic status, lifestyle behaviors, and access to care have resulted in health disparities between rural and urban communities (Institute of Medicine, 2004). According to Sulzbacher et al., many families who live in rural areas do not have the financial, social or psychological resources, to travel to distant urban centers to obtain adequate care particularly for a chronic mental health problem. There is also evidence to suggest that mental illness in rural areas is as nearly as high as among people in metropolitan areas. However, the accessibility of mental health services and professionals in rural areas is extremely low compared to major cities and metropolitan areas. Such barriers can impede the diagnosing, treating and reporting of mental illnesses and have also been instrumental in developing and improving telepsychiatry and e-mental health models.
Telepsychiatry
Telepsychiatry has been used for many years and is highly regarded as an area where the use of telemedicine has been successful. It has been defined as “The delivery of healthcare and the exchange of healthcare information for purposes of providing psychiatric services across distances” (Woo...
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The goal of Rural Telemental Health (RTH) is to increase the access to those in the rural regions of states by using teleconferencing, video-conferencing, emails, group video-conferencing and the telephone to help the geriatric patient improve depression. Telemental Health and/or Telemedicine will also improve communication and collaboration with a team of healthcare providers such as rural clinic nurses and primary care physicians while giving the rural geriatric population access to a much needed health service.
Among the main aims of health care reform and improvement is expanding healthcare access to different populations, which have been subjects to underserving for a long period. These include the poor, the previously uncovered, rural societies, and the minorities, to mention just a few. Great challenges definitely lie ahead, since several individuals start seeking access to the primary healthcare clinicians (Arnaert & Delesie, 2001). Telenursing assures to be a crucial tool to meet such needs. It refers to making use of the telehealth technology in conducting nursing practice and delivering nursing care. Because of the quick telemedicine technology adoption within the healthcare institutions, telenursing emerges as a fresh tool that provokes discussions
A 2015 study (Brown, 2015) showed that the average American adult spends around 11+ hours on electronic devices per day. With an increasingly large amount of communication being done online, why not bring therapy into the electronic age? Online therapy has many benefits and has already proven to be effective. There are many trained professionals who are ready to provide different methods of counsel to many people. First I will discuss the benefits of e-therapy and how it’s already proven to be effective, next I will talk about the different methods of counsel available. Finally I will discuss some concerns surrounding e-therapy and possible solutions, and some problems that the movement still is faced with.
After telepsychiatry was implemented into the respondent’s Emergency Department and physicians and nurses were in constant contact with a mental health professional, and became accustomed to its use, they began to get a greater understanding of the issues facing a mental health patient. Subsequently, the use of telepsychiatry decreased over time. The decrease in use of telepsychiatry, decreased the costs incurred by the facilities because many insurances do not cover telepsychiatry.
Internet online delivery of psychotherapy is surely on the rise. A simple search I did on Google today (Skype CBT Therapy for example) came up with about 500,000 results. Many CBT therapists offer Skype sessions to reach more customers. There are entire websites designed for CBT online delivery, who have signed up CBT practitioners. Many mental health professionals use videoconferencing systems to work with patients in remote locations or hospitals. Most counsellors and psychotherapists offering online, email or telephone counselling services already. On a website, it gives the impression that the therapist is
Telemedicine is a new comer to the field of medicine and it is the treatment of patients by means of telecommunications technology. Telemedicine is carried out in a variety of ways whether it is by smart phone, wireless tools or other forms of telecommunications. Examples of telemedicine include: 1) transmission of medical images 2) care services at the home of the patient 3) Diagnosis at distance 4) education and training of patients. The diversity of practices in what is known as telemedicine raises many questions and one of those questions, which is extremely important, relate to the safety of the practice and the risks involved.
Imagine the ability to obtain healthcare services from almost anywhere in the world where you have access to a phone or computer. Now, imagine being able to provide nursing assessments, diagnosis, treatments, and recommendations to your patients from your home to almost anywhere in the world. Lauren Stokowski (2008) noted in her article that one fourth of the United States has rural residents. That number may appear small in comparison to the urban residences; however, rural residents have a tendency to to have “higher poverty rates, larger percentage of elderly, and tend to be in poorer health”. Could telenursing be a solution?
Technology is known to help mental health because of how it can treat mental health issues. Joanna says “Some people ignore technology’s potential as both a tool for treating mental health issues and for improving the quality of people’s lives and promoting emotional well-being” (Rodriguez). There are now programmes to help with phobias and depression that help people cope with their difficulties. Although there are programs to help with mental illnesses, there are even more ways technology is causing these mental issues in people’s lives. Technology can be beneficial in acting like a “doctor”. People will use their phones to help with a personal problem. It is stated that “More than half of young people have used the Internet to find help for a personal problem. The vast majority - a whopping 94% - felt satisfied with the information they found online” (Hazel). Technology has such a large variety of things to help someone with personal problems. Technology is making it very convenient to deal with mental health, it is very beneficial in acting like a “doctor”. Even though technology can be like a “doctor” to someone helping with their problems, the internet is not always trustworthy and can cause someone to come across the wrong page creating even more problems. Going to seek help with
The digital age has brought about many changes in the way we conduct business, education, entertainment and mental health. The trend to incorporate technology into our mental health programs, while in its infancy, continues to grow in popularity and use by both educational and private mental health providers. There has been a great deal of discussion on the methods, ethics, problems and benefits of this new technology, however little research has been done on the effectiveness of this method of counseling on clients.