Telepsychiatry or Face-to-face Visit, the Near Paradigm Shift in Psychiatry

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic, which has necessitated lockdowns because of the ease of virus spread among the populace, especially the unvaccinated, has forced us to reevaluate and reimagine psychiatric care. Before the pandemic telepsychiatry was one of the major ways outpatient visits were carried out. The other being face to face visits. However, there has been an uptick in the use of telepsychiatry for many reasons. This paper explores telepsychiatry, some of its evolutionary factors, the necessary changes that continue to drive the use of telepsychiatry, and its usefulness in certain vulnerable inpatient populations. The incidence and prevalence of mood disorders and anxiety have increased exponentially during the pandemic, and telepsychiatry may have helped make management easier. The use, techniques, and related legal framework of telepsychiatry continue to evolve with advances in technology. The need for regulatory authorities to continue to reform their oversight to accommodate or ensure the safety of this increasing utility of health delivery is crucial, especially at these times.