Practice guidelines for videoconferencing-based telemental health - october 2009.

摘要

Telemental health is one of the most active applications of tele-health rendered in the United States. Mental health is particularly suited to the use of advanced communication technologies and the internet for delivery of care. By using advanced communication technologies, mental health professionals are able to widen their reach to patients in a cost-effective manner, ameliorating the maldistribution of specialty care. The following Guidelines are designed to aid in the development and practice of coherent, effective, safe and sustainable telemental health practices. Establishing guidelines for telemental health improves clinical outcomes and promotes informed and reasonable patient expectations. When guidelines, position statements, or standards from a professional organization or society such as (but not limited to) the American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association or National Association of Social Workers3 exist, it is advised that mental health professionals review these documents and incorporate them into practice.