Health & Psychiatry Doubles Florida Telepsychiatry Offices
"Closer to Home" Access to Mental Health Care
TAMPA, Fla., June 23, 2020 (Newswire.com) - Health & Psychiatry announced today the opening of four additional Florida-based telepsychiatry offices, bringing their total to eight in addition to their Oldsmar headquarters. When asked about the expansion, Health & Psychiatry CEO Usman Ezad responded, “Mental health care isn’t always immediately available when a patient needs help. Health & Psychiatry’s licensed telepsychiatry providers are serving patients across Florida when and where they need it most! We’re bringing mental health care ‘closer to home’.” Spanning a broad spectrum of mental health services, Health & Psychiatry’s newest telepsychiatry offices are located in Brandon, St. Petersburg, Lakeland, and Spring Hill.
Upon arrival at Health & Psychiatry’s telepsychiatry offices, sessions function much the same as visiting the practice’s Oldsmar headquarters—with one exception. After being warmly greeted by staff, patients are led to a private office equipped with a large interactive screen. They meet with their mental health provider via Health & Psychiatry’s Telepsychiatry real-time system (patent pending). When the session concludes, insurance and payment is handled on-site. Health & Psychiatry patients report that the conveniently located offices provide great accessibility and that the telepsychiatry sessions are at times even more focused than in-person counseling.
Not surprising considering the American Psychiatric Association (APA) states that telepsychiatry is a validated and effective practice of care providing treatment equivalent to in-person care in diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness, quality of care and patient satisfaction. Further, patient privacy and confidentiality are equivalent to in-person care.* Peter Yellowlees, MBBS, MD, a leading expert on telepsychiatry as well as American Telemedicine Association Past President, confirms the APA’s position. “Technology is no longer a barrier,” says Yellowlees. “Telepsychiatry is changing the way that providers are working and patients are being treated. Research has found satisfaction to be high among patients, psychiatrists and other professionals—equivalent to that of in-person care reporting.” Yellowlees goes on to say that younger generations frequently prefer telepsychiatry over in-person encounters.
Dr. Dinar Sajan, Health & Psychiatry Chief Medical Officer, has observed the practice’s escalated impact through the development of their telepsychiatry offices. Says Sajan, “We’re able to reach those patients who might not have the ability to easily attain in-person mental health care on their schedule; or, be as comfortable one-on-one. Through Health and Psychiatry’s compassionate care, our telepsychiatry patients can expect equally thorough assessments, diagnoses, and treatment plans to those they’d receive with in-person counseling at our Oldsmar offices.” To learn more about Health & Psychiatry, or to schedule an appointment at one of their nine locations, please visit HealthAndPsychiatry.com.
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*American Psychiatric Association: What is Telepsychiatry “Evidence for Effectiveness” [https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-telepsychiatry]
**Dr. Peter Yellowlees: American Psychiatric Association Telepsychiatry Toolkit “Feasibility and Effectiveness” Video [https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/telepsychiatry/toolkit/feasibility-and-effectiveness
Source: Health and Psychiatry