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Telehealth in children’s psychiatric services

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

O. Shchedrinskaya*
Affiliation:
Science, Moscow State Budgetary Health Care Institution “Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents named after G.E.Sukhareva of Moscow Health Department, Moscow, Russia, Moscow, Russian Federation
M. Bebtschuk
Affiliation:
Science, Moscow State Budgetary Health Care Institution “Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents named after G.E.Sukhareva of Moscow Health Department, Moscow, Russia, Moscow, Russian Federation
O. Khairetdinov
Affiliation:
Science, Moscow State Budgetary Health Care Institution “Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents named after G.E.Sukhareva of Moscow Health Department, Moscow, Russia, Moscow, Russian Federation
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Covid-19 intensified public demand for telehealth services in child psychiatry. The shift towards online services raised concerns related to safety and quality of services.

Objectives

The objective of the study was to explore outcomes and perceptions regarding psychiatric telehealth services from the patients’ and professionals’ perspectives.

Methods

Survey and questionnaires were the main methods to collect feedback after 1129 sessions conducted by psychiatrists and psychotherapists for 559 young patients in 2020.

Results

Overall, patients/caregivers were generally satisfied with the quality of services, despite some technical issues and limitations of the platform. The most common outcomes of the sessions were: psychotherapy, in-depth assessment, pharmacotherapy, in-patient treatment, referrals for in-person appointments with other specialists, parenting strategies. Professionals gave more positive feedback on telehealth services after a few months of practice and training. Psychiatrists preferred conducting telehealth appointments for the patients they have previously seen in-person. The most common diagnosis were various neurodevelopmental disorders (48,9%), as well as patients within F84.0-F84.5 27,9%, and F84.8 (19,8%). Identification challenges, confidentiality and safety maintenance were among the top concerns for mental health workers. Specific guidelines for caregivers helped to use the appointment time effectively, prevent some technical and organizational issues and decrease negative effects of limited communication capabilities during a telehealth appointment.

Conclusions

Telehealth services in psychiatry are meeting real needs of patients, caregivers and professionals, and require further development. Proper training for professionals and clear guidelines for caregivers are among the key factors that enhance the quality of services.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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