Case Studies
Quality Mental Health Care
Telepsychiatry is playing a pivotal role in providing timely care to hospitalized mental health patients and to others beyond hospital walls. At Seton Shoal Creek Hospital, a mental health hospital in Austin, Texas, Kari Wolf, M.D., vice president, medical affairs, started using telemedicine to address a demand for psychiatric doctors at other Seton hospitals, especially during overnight and weekend hours. Patients needing psychiatric care see physicians almost immediately by video and get prescribed medications or are admitted to a higher level of care. Then in April 2012, to address an increasing number of patients in the emergency room at Seton's University Medical Center Brackenridge, the health system contracted with JSA Health Telepsychiatry in Houston. All these patients have better access to the appropriate care, and the shorter wait time reduces the risk for falls or suicides. Improved throughput also optimizes the physician's time and facility's use. Length of stay has been reduced by 10 percent. Now Seton is extending telepsychiatry services to Austin health centers, schools and police force. For example, Seton is developing video capabilities for tablets so specially trained police officers who respond to a 911 scene can get help assessing if a citizen is in crisis.
Telepsychiatry is playing a pivotal role in providing timely care to hospitalized mental health patients and to others beyond hospital walls. At Seton Shoal Creek Hospital, a mental health hospital in Austin, Texas, Kari Wolf, M.D., vice president, medical affairs, started using telemedicine to address a demand for psychiatric doctors at other Seton hospitals, especially during overnight and weekend hours. Patients needing psychiatric care see physicians almost immediately by video and get prescribed medications or are admitted to a higher level of care. Then in April 2012, to address an increasing number of patients in the emergency room at Seton's University Medical Center Brackenridge, the health system contracted with JSA Health Telepsychiatry in Houston. All these patients have better access to the appropriate care, and the shorter wait time reduces the risk for falls or suicides. Improved throughput also optimizes the physician's time and facility's use. Length of stay has been reduced by 10 percent. Now Seton is extending telepsychiatry services to Austin health centers, schools and police force. For example, Seton is developing video capabilities for tablets so specially trained police officers who respond to a 911 scene can get help assessing if a citizen is in crisis.
For more information, contact Dr. Wolf at KWolf@seton.org or Brian Henry, telemedicine program developer, at GBHenry@seton.org.
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Case Studies