Psychiatry Telemedicine Services
For patients located outside of Pittsburgh who are in need of psychiatric care, UPMC's Telepsychiatric Program brings world-class psychiatrists to their neighborhoods.
In partnership with the Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, a mental health managed care organization for Pennsylvanians who receive Medical Assistance, UPMC's Telepsychiatric Program provide:
- Consultative and outreach psychiatric services to underserved, rural areas
- Outpatient psychiatric care at local mental health centers
- Inpatient consultations and treatment at community hospitals without in-house psychiatrists
- Educational resources for mental health professionals
Outpatient Telepsychiatric Services
Patients face many barriers to receiving psychiatric treatment. These barriers can become insurmountable if they need to travel out of their county to receive care.
The UPMC Outpatient Telepsychiatric Program seeks to minimize these time and travel barriers by bringing psychiatric care to the communities in which patients live.
Using videoconferencing, patients can:
- Consult with a UPMC psychiatrist at their local mental health center, with support from a social worker or nurse
- Receive treatment and medication management on a regular basis
- Increase their engagement with psychiatric treatment without having to travel, sometimes hundreds of miles, to the nearest psychiatrist’s office
Inpatient Telepsychiatric Services
UPMC’s psychiatrists provide inpatient consultation liaison services to hospitals that aren't able to staff psychiatrists.
Telepsychiatry allows mental health professionals at regional hospitals to:
- Assess patients and send their records to UPMC in Pittsburgh
- Conference via telephone with a UPMC psychiatrist
- Provide feedback
UPMC psychiatrists also use videoconferencing to treat patients, eliminating the need for hospitals to employ a psychiatrist in-house.
Educational Opportunities for Mental Health Professionals
The Office of Education and Regional Programming at the University of Pittsburgh offers mental health professionals:
- Online training
- Educational video conferences and webcasts
- Eonvenient opportunities to receive ongoing professional education from world-class faculty, without having to travel to Pittsburgh
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