Telehealth, TelePsychology, Tele-Medicine, E-Therapy, Online Counseling, & Tele-Mental Health
Online Resources
This Online Resources page is part of a comprehensive online course for continuing education Credits (CE/CEU) for psychologists, MFTs, social workers, counselors, and nurses:
Telehealth, e-therapy, online therapy, online counseling, tele-medicine, e-counseling, or tele-mental health: all refer to the use of digital technology to provide clinical services, such as assessment and treatment. Telehealth activities may include providing clinical services by telephone, email, chats, interactive televideo communications technology such as Skype, or via virtual reality (VR) such as Second Life (SL), to individuals in conjunction with face-to-face (f2f) therapy or with no in-person contact. States and organizations vary in their definitions of telehealth.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Telehealth
Visit http://www.hrsa.gov/telehealth/ for the website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration's website. This useful site provides a report on telehealth licensure requirements and trends for many health professions across the country. By clicking on Publications you then have access to their Telemedicine Licensure Report, the document "Telemental Health: Delivering Mental Health Care at a Distance," and a number of other useful documents and links.
Organizations That Provide Platforms for Online Therapy, E-Therapy, or "Tele-Mental Health": Make sure to verify that the platform you choose to use is HIPAA compliant and complies with your state, federal, and your state and national professional organizations rules, codes of ethics, laws, and/or regulations.
The use of Skype in telehealth has been proliferated in recent years. While most expert seem to be satisfied with Skype level of security and view it to be HIPAA compliant, some still question it. Some argue that Skype-to-Skype voice, video and instant message conversations are likely to be more secure that conventional landlines or cellular phone conversation, which are not encrypted. Following are some resources that discuss whether Skype is a secure and/or HIPAA compliant format.
A video on a Colorado Psychiatrist who practiced across state lines: This is a unique case that has served as the 'poster child' for concerns regarding practicing across state lines. For video, click here.
For an excellent analysis of risk management of across state lines issues that is realistic, informed, intelligent, and not fear-based, go to: Harris, E & Younggren, J. N. (2011). Risk management in the digital world. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 42 (6), 412-418. For Abstract: http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/pro/42/6/412/
Insurance, Billing, Reimbursement and CPT Codes for Telehealth Services:
Behavioral Health Innovation at http://behavioralhealthinnovation.com provides consulting, training and pioneering services to bring practical business system improvements.
Services included
Marketing/Business development/Referral system development
Mental health marketing systems
Operations efficiency consulting
Counselor training and supervision
Mental health management training
New program launch
Telemedicine and Online counseling systems design, implementation, training and consultation
Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) is an organization working to increase integration of telehealth technologies into CA health care system: http://www.connectedhealthca.org