Telepsychiatry Brings Emergency Mental Health Care To Rural Areas

North Carolina is facing a very big mental health care challenge — 28 counties across the state do not have a single psychiatrist. That's despite the fact that in recent years, emergency rooms in the state have seen more patients with mental health, developmental disability or substance abuse problems.

So the state is trying telepsychiatry. When a patient comes into an emergency room, they can be connected via a two-way video connection with a psychiatrist. A recent study by the nonpartisan North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research found that the method is having some success in providing more timely treatment.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/05/07/308749287/telepsychiatry-brings-emergency-mental-health-care-to-rural-areas