Critical Concerns When Incorporating Telepractice in Outpatient Settings and Private Practice.

Abstract

Technology continuously advances with new innovations and the evolution of existing devices, requiring health service providers to adapt and keep up with these changes in order to provide optimal services to their patients. Expertise limited to a single technological modality or device will quickly become outdated as new revisions, updates, and alternatives are released into the marketplace. This article presents several of the critical concerns and issues practitioners must consider when evaluating their current and future uses of technology within their provision of outpatient or private practice services, particularly as it relates to direct care. Current literature and use of key telepractice resources, such as those from the American Telemedicine Association and the American Psychological Association, are presented, to provide practitioners with advanced knowledge and considerations for evaluating technology within their own practice settings. Practitioners can be prepared to remain on top of this "arms race" of technology when they focus on the critical issues related to the selection and use of technology devices, applications, and modes of use; for example, Internet, phone, email, or text message. Two vignettes illustrate how practitioners may implement technology in their practices. Technology can be readily incorporated into outpatient settings to augment practitioners' delivery of health services and improve their experience in clinical practice.