By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    An Expert’s Guide To Building and Improving Endurance
    June 30, 2022
    medical assistants
    What Do Medical Assistants Do On a Day to Day Basis?
    April 5, 2022
    superfoods to help with prostate health
    10 Healthy Foods That Can Help Protect Your Prostate
    August 29, 2022
    Latest News
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    How Powerful Patients Save the System Money
    November 11, 2015
    How Financial Barriers are Slowing Down Telehealth Adoption
    September 26, 2017
    No Resource Constraints in Dialysis: a Blessing and a Curse
    May 4, 2011
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Psychiatrists Now Working Online: How the Mental Healthcare Industry Is Evolving
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Global Healthcare > Psychiatrists Now Working Online: How the Mental Healthcare Industry Is Evolving
Global HealthcareHealth ReformMental HealthPolicy & LawPublic Health

Psychiatrists Now Working Online: How the Mental Healthcare Industry Is Evolving

Sean Mallon
Sean Mallon
Share
7 Min Read
Psychiatrists are now working online
Shutterstock Licensed Photo - By Ksenia Zvezdina | stock vector ID: 1761581036
SHARE

Before the COVID-19 pandemic caused havoc around the world and disrupted the way professionals worked, digital technology such as video conferencing applications were already in the workplace. But numerous professions and industries were still resisting and wouldn’t allow their employees to work from anywhere. They still required workers to report to the office. Yet sometimes, nature has a way of dismantling social barriers.

Contents
Dramatic Shift to TelehealthPsychiatrists And Patients Made AdjustmentsPositive Feedback and ResponsesManaging Negative Effects and ChallengesFace To Face No Longer Required

Psychiatrists are among those professionals who’ve learned to adapt to the pandemic by doing their therapy sessions online or thru video conferencing apps. Now, a lot of them are doing their work online. If you’re looking for a way to consult a psychiatrist but you don’t want to travel outside of your home, you can inquire with Prairie Health and other similar sites.

Dramatic Shift to Telehealth

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused a dramatic shift in the way psychiatrists hold therapy sessions with their patients. Before the pandemic happened, there were already some limited forms of psychiatry done thru telehealth. But this was mainly limited to short phone conversations between patients and their psychiatrists. It was often done when a patient has a quick question or the psychiatrist wanted to check on the patient. The COVID-19 pandemic hastened the shift to telepsychiatry.

When the lockdowns and shelter-in-place rules were imposed, many psychiatrists and other mental health professionals had no choice but to quickly transition to telepsychiatry. Almost overnight, psychiatrists had to find ways to continue serving their patients. They’re able to transition well to telepsychiatry when the videoconferencing apps became downloadable by the general public, some with free individual accounts. In a real way, the pandemic made telepsychiatry more available and acceptable.

More Read

Hospital Evolution: Collaboration in an Era of Change
Alzheimer’s Preventable with Lifestyle Changes
Keep Refreshments Ready for Your Night Shift at the Hospital
Common Defenses a Personal Trainer Can Raise Against You in a Lawsuit
Five Accelerants to the Adoption of Connected Health

Psychiatrists And Patients Made Adjustments

A structured survey found out that relatively few psychiatrists used telemedicine before the pandemic. They had to refrain from doing it because of barriers such as regulations on privacy and confidentiality, worries that they might not be reimbursed, and a prevailing resistance to change among practitioners.

When the COVID-19 illnesses started piling up, clinicians were impelled to find ways to go on servicing their patients without having to go out. They had to refrain from going out to avoid being infected with the virus. It was fortunate that federal and state governments and agencies, as well as private payers made adjustments, too. 

For example, Medicare and Medicaid services announced that they’re going to reimburse telemedicine services rendered online or thru virtual platforms. This would also cover visits done in both urban centers and rural areas. This was a big boost to assure clinicians they’d be reimbursed for their services. 

Another welcome change was when the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) waived penalties and allowed clinicians to use videoconferencing technology, even though some of these may not be compliant with the HIPAA’s minimum standards on protection of privacy.

Positive Feedback and Responses

Many of the psychiatrists and clinicians who were surveyed said that their patients gave positive feedback about doing the visits thru video or phone. They also said that their patients were glad they continued to make their services available even during the pandemic. 

Some clinicians also shared that telepsychiatry brought about both positive and negative effects to their practice. They said that doing video visits gave them a visual picture of the home environment of their patients. It has also made it easier to provide access and care for their patients who couldn’t travel out of their homes as much such as persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Managing Negative Effects and Challenges

However, some clinicians also shared the negative effects. They noted that they couldn’t get many nonverbal cues from the video visits. They’re limited to what they could see from their screens.

There were also patients who had privacy concerns, especially those that didn’t have secluded nooks inside their homes where they wouldn’t be overheard when they receive the video visits. Other clinicians said either they or the patients were sometimes distracted by noise or other people in the household. Another disadvantage of telepsychiatry is they couldn’t check vital signs or do physical tests.

Clinicians shared that they’ve also learned to identify patients who might have difficulties with telepsychiatry. There are patients who might not be too familiar with technology or are already quite advanced in age. Often, it’d be necessary to ask someone living with them to help set up the video visit. These same people might also have to stay during the whole duration of the call to help if the call gets cut or interrupted.

Another group that needs special assistance are those who don’t have suitable internet connectivity for the call and those who might not have their computers or smartphones such as patients living in remote places or rural areas.

Face To Face No Longer Required

Now that both psychiatrists and patients have come to accept doing their mental health therapy sessions thru video visits, clinicians can now have the option not to hold face-to-face therapy sessions. There are still those who insist on going back to in-person sessions, but most of them also said they’d be holding video visits for those who’d be better served by staying where they are. With that, psychiatrists are now moving their work online.

TAGGED:mental healthcarePsychiatristsPsychiatrists working online
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025

You Might also Like

Image
Policy & Law

Republican Ideas To Replace Obamacare: Not Too Impressive

September 20, 2013
ZDoggMD
Hospital AdministrationPublic HealthSocial Media

Truth From Comedy: ZDogg Does for Medicine What Late Night Is Doing for Politics

October 12, 2017
Image
CardiologyPublic Health

Heart Disease in Women: Ladies, Love Your Heart All Year Long

April 19, 2011

Steady as She Goes or Down With the Ship, a Parable for Healthcare

June 17, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?