There are a lot of things to love about telemedicine, especially when it comes to your mental health. Not only can these virtual appointments make it easier to get access to quality care, but it’s quick, discreet, and convenient.
Our team at Compass Mental Health & Wellness in North Houston knows that several things can keep people from getting the help they need. That’s why we offer telemedicine to ensure you can get timely care for all of your health needs, including psychiatric evaluations and treatment.
New to telemedicine? This is how virtual visits can help with mental health issues — all from the comfort of your own home.
How telemedicine works
Telemedicine works just like a traditional doctor’s visit, except you don’t go into the office. Instead, you use state-of-the-art technology on your smartphone, tablet, or computer to “meet” with your provider remotely.
Using this advanced approach to medical care allows our team to diagnose and monitor existing conditions while protecting your privacy and confidentiality. This makes it especially beneficial for sensitive issues that people often feel too embarrassed to seek help for, including mental health disorders.
Contrary to popular belief, this approach to medicine isn’t new. In fact, University of Nebraska physicians started using two-way closed-circuit microwave television in the 1950s to facilitate dialog between two locations.
However, advancements in technology, such as computers and smartphones, have expanded the availability of these services, making telemedicine an option for people in homes across the country.
What to expect during your virtual psychiatric appointment
During your virtual visit, you access your appointment using special video-conferencing software on your smartphone or another internet-connected device. This software from doxy.me is completely secure and HIPAA compliant, so you can rest easy knowing that your entire session is private and confidential.
If this is your first session, we can perform a psychiatric evaluation. This health assessment helps us diagnose the specific type and severity of mental health condition you may be experiencing, such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anger management
As you might imagine, no two psychiatric evaluations are the same, because everyone is different. However, you can usually expect to discuss your mental health history and your current symptoms.
In addition to diagnosing mental health disorders, we can use telemedicine appointments to outline a treatment strategy, prescribe medication, and monitor your condition. This makes it easy and convenient for you to get the help you need.
When it comes to psychiatry, more than 40% of sessions take place virtually now. To learn more about virtual visits and to see if they can help you, call (281) 836-5452 or book an appointment online with Compass Mental Health & Wellness today.