Child and Youth Telepsychiatry in Rural and Remote Primary Care

Pignatiello, Antonio; Teshima, John; Boydell, Katherine M.; Minden, Debbie; Volpe, Tiziana; Braunberger, Peter G.

doi:10.1016/j.chc.2010.08.008

« Previous Next »Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America
Volume 20, Issue 1 , Pages 13-28, January 2011

Child and Youth Telepsychiatry in Rural and Remote Primary Care

Antonio Pignatiello, MD, FRCPC
- Department of Psychiatry, TeleLink Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Corresponding author. Department of Psychiatry, TeleLink Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada.
John Teshima, MD, FRCPC, MEd
- Department of Psychiatry, TeleLink Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, F-Wing, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
Katherine M. Boydell, PhD
- Community Health Systems Resource Group, The Hospital for Sick Children, Learning Institute, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Clinical Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Research Institute, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Health Sciences Building-6th Floor, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada
Debbie Minden, PhD, C Psych
- Department of Psychiatry, TeleLink Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
Tiziana Volpe, MSc
- Community Health Systems Resource Group, The Hospital for Sick Children, Learning Institute, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
Peter G. Braunberger, MD, FRCPC
- Department of Psychiatry, TeleLink Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Mental Health, Sister Margaret Smith Centre, St Joseph’s Care Group, 301 Lillie Street North, Thunder Bay, ON P7C 0A6, Canada
- Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, 200 Anemki Place, Fort Williams First Nation, Thunder Bay, ON P7J 1L6, Canada

Young people with psychological or psychiatric problems are managed largely by primary care practitioners, many of whom feel inadequately trained, ill equipped, and uncomfortable with this responsibility. Accessing specialist pediatric and psychological services, often located in and near large urban centers, is a particular challenge for rural and remote communities. Live interactive videoconferencing technology (telepsychiatry) presents innovative opportunities to bridge these service gaps. The TeleLink Mental Health Program at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto offers a comprehensive, collaborative model of enhancing local community systems of care in rural and remote Ontario using videoconferencing. With a focus on clinical consultation, collaborative care, education and training, evaluation, and research, ready access to pediatric psychiatrists and other specialist mental health service providers can effectively extend the boundaries of the medical home. Medical trainees in urban teaching centers are also expanding their knowledge of and comfort level with rural mental health issues, various complementary service models, and the potentials of videoconferencing in providing psychiatric and psychological services. Committed and enthusiastic champions, a positive attitude, creativity, and flexibility are a few of the necessary attributes ensuring viability and integration of telemental health programs.

Keywords: Primary care, Pediatric, Child/Youth, Videoconferencing, Telepsychiatry