Is telehealth psychiatry right for me?
For most people seeking outpatient psychiatric care, it is a reasonable option. Telehealth is an established way of delivering outpatient psychiatric care, and it removes several of the practical barriers that stop people starting at all: travel, time away from work, and childcare among them.
It is not the right setting for everyone, though, and it would be a disservice to pretend otherwise. Here is an honest account of both, so you can weigh it against your own situation.
Telehealth tends to work well when
- You are managing anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, a mood disorder, or a perinatal condition and are stable enough to be treated as an outpatient.
- Getting to an office is the obstacle: work hours, no childcare, a long drive, or living somewhere with few local providers.
- You are a new parent, and leaving the house with an infant is its own undertaking.
- You have a reliable private space and an internet connection for about an hour.
- You want continuity with one clinician rather than whoever is available that week.
Telehealth is not the right fit when
If any of these describe your situation, a different level of care will serve you better. Saying so is part of doing this responsibly.
- You are in crisis, or having thoughts of harming yourself or someone else. Call or text 988, or call 911. Please do not wait for an appointment.
- You need care that involves a physical examination, blood work interpretation on the spot, or in-person monitoring.
- You need a level of care above outpatient, such as inpatient treatment, a partial hospitalisation programme, or intensive outpatient care.
- You are experiencing symptoms of postpartum psychosis, which is a medical emergency and needs an emergency department now.
- You have no private space where you could speak freely, and no way to arrange one.
- You are physically located outside Florida at the time of your appointment.
What a video appointment actually involves
Your first appointment is an evaluation and runs longer than the ones that follow. Emily will ask about what brought you here, your history, your physical health, medications, sleep, and what you are hoping changes. You will be asked to be somewhere private, and to confirm where you are physically located, because Florida licensure applies to where you are rather than where the clinician is.
You do not need special equipment. A phone, tablet, or computer with a camera is enough. If the connection fails partway through, that is a normal occurrence and there is a plan for it rather than a lost appointment.
Follow-up appointments are usually shorter and focus on how things are going, how any treatment is working, and what needs adjusting. How it works walks through booking and what happens before your first visit.
Next step
Still not sure?
An initial evaluation is the appointment where this gets answered properly, for your situation rather than in general.
This website is for informational and marketing purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For medical concerns, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.