What is Telemedicine?
With the advent of technology and the recent pandemic, people’s stance towards medical care has also changed. Now people prefer to take online medical consult in comparison to personally visiting doctors. Telemedicine is the process by which doctors provide medical care via technology.
What is Telepsychiatry?
Telepsychiatry is a vital application of telemedicine. The patients can get a variety of treatments at home via video conferencing.
These treatments include:
- Psychiatric evaluations.
- Psychiatric therapies. These include individual therapies, group and even family therapies.
- Patient education.
- Medication management.
Does telepsychiatry benefit addiction and recovery?
While telepsychiatry’s primary benefit for addiction and recovery includes convenience for the patient, some other benefits are specifically helpful for people going through addiction and recovery.
- Patients Discretion
There was an increase in the usage of opioids during the lockdown. The rise in trend was because patients were suffering from isolation and depression. Teletherapy was helpful for such patients. It helps to maintain the discretion of the patient. Patients can be free from the social stigma and judgments of the others around them.
- Increasing the access to addiction treatment
Telehealth is easily reachable for most patients. It includes those living in rural areas with a lack of excellent health care facilities. Telemedicine bridge the gap between the doctor and the patient. Patients can recover from addiction by staying in the comfort of their homes.
- Convenient for patient
Online therapy is suitable for patients from every aspect. It not only reduces the traveling cost but the travel time as well. Patients can set up appointments at their convenience. Such type of medicines coverage reduces the need for emergency visits. Patients can also go through the recovery and follow up process via online sessions.
The Takeaway:
The chronic problem of addiction and its road to recovery requires constant doctor and patient interactions. Online counseling can increase the efficiency of addiction treatment. All of this is possible because the internet removes the barriers of stigma and geography. Despite all the benefits that it has, telepsychiatry remains underutilized by patients.