Telepsychiatry and Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and lack of motivation. There is no known cure for schizophrenia, but clinical and medicinal treatments have proven effective at reducing the symptoms of schizophrenia and drastically improving patient quality of life. Effective treatment, however, requires access to proper medical care.

There’s a significant geographical divide in the United States with regard to which populations have access to professional mental health care. Many regions across the country lack even a single licensed psychiatric care professional. Patients suffering from schizophrenia and other debilitating conditions cannot get the care they need because there are simply no doctors around. Telepsychiatry can reduce, and eventually eliminate, this barrier to access. With greater access to qualified mental healthcare practitioners, millions of Americans suffering from schizophrenia can get the help they need. Orbit Health, a leading provider of telepsychiatry, aims to make that possibility a reality.

Telepsychiatry is an Effective Medium for Treating Schizophrenia

A number of recent studies have concluded that, as a general matter, telepsychiatry is an effective medium. The nature of psychiatric care is such that physical proximity is simply less of an issue than with other acute care. Mental health care rarely requires physical treatment, and medications can be prescribed via telecommunication software.

Researchers, moreover, have taken things a step further to evaluate the effectiveness of telepsychiatry in treating specific mental health disorders. Experts from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, for example, reviewed existing articles and clinical studies to compile a review of the feasibility of treating schizophrenia by way of telephone, internet, and videoconferencing. The authors concluded that, while more data would be helpful, every study to date has agreed that telepsychiatry is a promising venue for treating this often debilitating condition.

The study noted that the “promise of telepsychiatry for reducing barriers to care may be especially important for chronic mental illnesses such as schizophrenia,” which is “associated with considerable morbidity and mortality.” Telepsychiatry is not only an effective means of treating patients suffering from schizophrenia, but it may in fact be more effective overall than in-person visits by decreasing barriers to treatment, increasing patient-provider communication, and reducing the incidence of relapse. Telepsychiatry can alleviate barriers to access, which is especially important given that schizophrenia patients with “poor geographic accessibility to ambulatory mental health services were also more likely to be hospitalized.”

Telepsychiatry Brings Schizophrenia Specialists to All Areas of the Country

If the coronavirus pandemic taught us anything, it’s the importance of ubiquitous access to healthcare. The current state of healthcare access in the country, especially mental health care, is alarming. Large portions of the country, especially in rural areas, lack access to any qualified mental health care professionals. Even those areas that have any mental health care professionals on hand often lack specialists trained to diagnose and treat more severe conditions such as schizophrenia.

Telepsychiatry serves to eliminate the barriers to access between trained specialists and patients in need. With Orbit Health, your medical office can easily port in mental health care professionals from anywhere around the state or, depending on the rules in your state, anywhere in the country. The quality and breadth of patient care no longer need to be dictated by the urban/rural divide. No longer are you limited by practitioners who happen to be in your location or who are willing to relocate. Patients suffering from schizophrenia and other conditions can work directly with credentialed specialists who have practices dedicated to their specific needs. Medical offices benefit from increased patient satisfaction and revenue streams, while patients benefit from quality care directly tied to their particular concerns.

Contact Orbit Health to Implement Telepsychiatry Services for Treatment of Schizophrenia and Other Mental Health Disorders in Your Medical Practice Today

Orbit Health is a leading provider of telepsychiatry services across the United States. If you own or operate a healthcare entity anywhere in the United States that would benefit from qualified, specialized, and economical mental health care providers, Orbit Health is ready to connect you with the psychiatric care services you need. Using proprietary video-conferencing technology, Orbit Health can bring specialized psychiatric care to any location that has access to the internet.

With Orbit Health, you do not have to rely on practitioners already located in your area, nor do you have to worry about safety concerns such as coronavirus contamination. Orbit Health will connect you with dedicated, licensed psychiatric professionals, brought right to your medical office. To get the psychiatric services your organization needs, contact Orbit Health today!