•  Return on Investment
•  Steve Daviss, M.D.

A growing body of evidence suggests that telepsychiatry may have significant value-add compared to psychiatric services delivered in traditional settings.

• Telepsychiatry used in an emergency department can be used to improve connectivity with outpatient mental health services as well as access to care, closing a referral loop between ER departments and other providers.
• Studies have also demonstrated that using telepsychiatry in an ER setting may reduce transportation costs, inpatient and emergency department utilization, and overall hospital costs.
• Within primary care settings and specialty care clinics, implementation of telepsychiatry services has demonstrated a substantial benefit to patients’ overall health status as well as a significant fiscal cost savings to medical groups and delivery systems.
• Telepsychiatry can also improve care within correctional systems and nursing homes, which translates into cost reduction associated with transportation, labor, and other care-oriented factors.

References

1. Waugh, Voyles, and Thomas (2015), Telepsychiatry: Benefits and costs in a changing health-care environment, International Review of Psychology, 27(6).