Telemental health is a technology-driven and relatively recent method of delivering mental health services. The medical industry has discovered that a lot of services can be delivered by telehealth, and the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the need for a remote form of care.
If you haven’t tried telehealth for mental health services, you may be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.
There are lots of benefits to getting your counseling by telemental health. Here, Dr. Judy E. Vansiea of Coping Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry Services lists five of the top benefits of telemental health.
What is telemental health?
Telemental health, or telepsychiatry interchangeably called, uses real-time video chat. You can see Dr. Vansiea, and she can see you. You can discuss your issues, and she can provide answers and offer solutions, just the same as she can face-to-face in the office.
Convenience
Making it to a traditional counseling appointment is often difficult to fit into your schedule. There’s the time that you have to take off of work to get to the appointment, but also the time it takes getting to and from the office.
Telemental health appointments are designed to work around your schedule, so you can make an appointment that’s convenient for you. And with not having a commute for the appointment, you also save time.
Accessibility
Even though some 20% of adults in the U.S. have mental health challenges, two-thirds of them never seek treatment, even though they believe they can get help. One reason why so many people don’t get treatment is that they don’t believe it’s accessible to them. Telemental health clears the accessibility hurdle.
Dr. Vansiea can help with multiple issues by telehealth, including medication management, substance abuse counseling, and helping you manage conditions including depression, anxiety, stress, and bipolar disorder. In addition, she does relationship and family psychotherapy as well.
Affordability
One of the reasons many people don’t seek mental health care is their assumption that it’s unaffordable. In many cases, that’s accurate, because the cost of mental health care is more than just what you have to pay the provider. For example, you also may have to pay for child care, which can be considerable.
In addition, many health insurance companies charge less for seeing a provider by telehealth. It’s more affordable than you might think.
Increased privacy
Telemental health is delivered by an extremely private connection. But it also respects your privacy in another way. When you live in a town — especially a small town — it can seem like you’re always at risk of bumping into someone you know.
Telemental health lets you avoid the opportunity to see anyone you know, while still getting the help that you need.
You’re still maintaining social distancing
If you’re one of many people who are still maintaining social distancing to avoid getting sick, you can do so by having telehealth appointments. There’s no risk of getting ill from making contact with others when you don’t leave your house.
Telemental health provides so many benefits that you don’t have any reason to avoid getting treatment anymore. Contact Dr. Judy E. Vansiea at Coping Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry Services in Uniondale, New York, or request an appointment online.
No comment