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This book describes the use of telecommunication technologies to provide mental health services to individuals in communities or locations that are underserviced, typically as a result of their geographic isolation or due to cultural and/or linguistic barriers. The potential of the e-Mental Health approach is demonstrated in various mental health settings by describing concrete clinical examples and applications involving novel strategies for employing technology. Further, the book presents an approach to cooperation on a global level based on the exchange of expertise and knowledge across national boundaries. The target audience includes mental health workers (clinicians and staff members), medical and nursing students, academic researchers, technology professionals and health care policy makers. Davor Mucic, M.D. is an educated psychiatrist in Denmark. He established the Little Prince Psychiatric Center for refugees and migrants. This Center has been a pioneer in developing telepsychiatry in Denmark since 2000. In 2011 Davor Mucic launched a Telemental Health Section within European Psychiatric Association (EPA). He is also member of the Danish Psychiatric Association, World Psychiatric Association (WPA), World Association of Cultural Psychiatry (WACP) and American Telemedicine Association (ATA) and works as an Editor for the Edorium Journal of Psychiatry.Donald M. Hilty, M.D. is a scholar in psychiatric and medical education, mood disorders, technology applied to clinical practice, and in mentoring of trainees at the Keck School of Medicine, University of California and Los Angeles County. His research involves health services, consultation-liaison models of care, medical education, mood disorders and genomics in underserved medical populations. Dr. Hilty has authored over 140 articles, chapters, book reviews, and/or books. He has participated in over 100 peer-reviewed presentations as a member of the Association for Academic Psychiatry (AAP), the Academy for Psychosomatic Medicine, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), and the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Cross-cultural mental health services were assessed using qualitative interviews and focus groups of 43 mental health clinicians and program directors in one of the most ethnically integrated cities in the US. The commonly used strategy of ethnic matching between clinician and patient was found to be difficult to effectively apply to an ethnically diverse and highly integrated patient population. Information from cultural-competency training was also found to be difficult to apply, particularly due to time limitations and language barriers. Implementation of a cultural consultation service, which uses in-depth cultural evaluations and case-based learning, may help bridge these service gaps.

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine as a way to reduce COVID-19 infections was noted and consequently deregulated. However, the degree of telemedicine regulation varies from country to country, which may alter the widespread use of telemedicine. This study aimed to clarify the telepsychiatry regulations for each collaborating country/region before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe used snowball sampling within a global network of international telepsychiatry experts. Thirty collaborators from 17 different countries/regions responded to a questionnaire on barriers to the use and implementation of telepsychiatric care, including policy factors such as regulations and reimbursement at the end of 2019 and as of May 2020.ResultsThirteen of 17 regions reported a relaxation of regulations due to the pandemic; consequently, all regions surveyed stated that telepsychiatry was now possible within their public healthcare systems. In some regions, restrictions on prescription medications allowed via telepsychiatry were eased, but in 11 of the 17 regions, there were still restrictions on prescribing medications via telepsychiatry. Lower insurance reimbursement amounts for telepsychiatry consultations v. in-person consultations were reevaluated in four regions, and consequently, in 15 regions telepsychiatry services were reimbursed at the same rate (or higher) than in-person consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionsOur results confirm that, due to COVID-19, the majority of countries surveyed are altering telemedicine regulations that had previously restricted the spread of telemedicine. These findings provide information that could guide future policy and regulatory decisions, which facilitate greater scale and spread of telepsychiatry globally.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine as a way to reduce COVID-19 infections was noted and consequently deregulated. However, the degree of telemedicine regulation varies from country to country, which may alter the widespread use of telemediine. This study aimed to clarify the telepsychiatry regulations for each collaborating country/region before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used snowball sampling within a global network of international telepsychiatry experts. Thirty collaborators from 17 different countries/regions responded to a questionnaire on barriers to the use and implementation of telepsychiatric care, including policy factors such as regulations and reimbursement at the end of 2019 and as of May 2020. Results: Thirteen of 17 regions reported a relaxation of regulations due to the pandemic; consequently, all regions surveyed stated that telepsychiatry was now possible within their public healthcare systems. In some regions, restrictions on prescription medications allowed via telepsychiatry were eased, but in 11 of the 17 regions, there were still restrictions on prescribing medications via telepsychiatry. Lower insurance reimbursement amounts for telepsychiatry consultations versus in-person consultations were reevaluated in 4 regions, and consequently, in 15 regions telepsychiatry services were reimbursed at the same rate (or higher) than in-person consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Our results confirm that, due to COVID-19, the majority of countries surveyed are altering telemedicine regulations that had previously restricted the spread of telemedicine. These findings provide information that could guide future policy and regulatory decisions, that facilitate greater scale and spread of telepsychiatry globally.

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine as a way to reduce COVID-19 infections was noted and consequently deregulated. However, the degree of telemedicine regulation varies from country to country, which may alter the widespread use of telemedicine. This study aimed to clarify the telepsychiatry regulations for each collaborating country/region before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe used snowball sampling within a global network of international telepsychiatry experts. Thirty collaborators from 17 different countries/regions responded to a questionnaire on barriers to the use and implementation of telepsychiatric care, including policy factors such as regulations and reimbursement at the end of 2019 and as of May 2020.ResultsThirteen of 17 regions reported a relaxation of regulations due to the pandemic; consequently, all regions surveyed stated that telepsychiatry was now possible within their public healthcare systems. In some regions, restrictions on prescription medications allowed via telepsychiatry were eased, but in 11 of the 17 regions, there were still restrictions on prescribing medications via telepsychiatry. Lower insurance reimbursement amounts for telepsychiatry consultations v. in-person consultations were reevaluated in four regions, and consequently, in 15 regions telepsychiatry services were reimbursed at the same rate (or higher) than in-person consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionsOur results confirm that, due to COVID-19, the majority of countries surveyed are altering telemedicine regulations that had previously restricted the spread of telemedicine. These findings provide information that could guide future policy and regulatory decisions, which facilitate greater scale and spread of telepsychiatry globally.