The use of a telemedicine model and its logistics to reach as many european refugees as possible

Abstract

Current refugee crisis challenges mental health care systems all over the Europe. There is a number of research describing difficulties in dealing with cross-cultural patients. Access to relevant care as well as its availability are often limited due to: a) lack of respective qualified resources b) linguistically, cultural and even racial barriers in addressing of mental health care needs of cross-cultural patient population. By use of various e-Mental health applications, primarily videoconference, we may improve assessment and/or treatment of refugees and asylum seekers on distance e.g. Arabic speaking psychiatrist located in Sweden would be able to assess and/or treat refugees from Syria located in Germany). Specialized centers for treatment of refugees would also be able to get second-opinion service from remote experts and use it in order to confirm or re-consider diagnosis as well as the treatment options. Establishment of international network of cross-cultural experts enables to:– Improve the mental health care across national boundaries by providing psychiatric consultations to other countries within EU– Conduct International Treatment Team with Select Skills (e.g. Sign Language and Many Foreign Languages Staff)– Provide Distance Supervision and Staff Consultation– Provide Psycho Education of caregivers– Improve Distance Learning via Case Conferencing and Best Practice Demonstration Across the National Boundaries– Create Data Base over cross-cultural and other select skills professionals within EUDisclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.