Monday, 18 August 2003: 09:00-10:30
Mayfair Room (Sheraton Hotel and Towers)

S003 Using Telecommunications to Improve Geriatric Mental Health Care

The use of telecommunications to provide mental health services to patients at a distance-telepsychiatry-has grown rapidly in the past ten years. Telepsychiatry is especially valuable as a method of reaching patients and populations that traditionally have been underserved, such as nursing home residents and residents of rural communities. Research at Wake Forest University on telepsychiatry assessments of geriatric patients has shown good reliability compared to face-to-face assessments as well as acceptance by patients of the videoconferencing interview. Low bandwidth transmissions (128Kbps) do appear to result in less accurate ratings of movement disorders and behaviors. This presentation will discuss research documenting the accuracy of telemedicine assessments of geriatric patients with mental health disorders. The current evidence supporting telepsychiatry with geriatric patients and the increased availability of reimbursement are likely to expand the use of telecommunications to provide mental health services.
Chair:Beverly Jones
 S003-001 Geriatric Psychiatry Telemedicine Consultation Project to Rural Nursing Homes in Virginia
David Trinkle
 S003-002 Telepsychiatry with a Rural Nursing Facility
Deirdre Johnston
 S003-003 Telephone Disease Management for Depression and At-risk Drinking
David Oslin
 S003-004 Using Telecommunications to Improve Geriatric Health Care
Beverly Jones

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