A psychiatrist's telemedicine experience

"I propose Zooming while driving be added to the DSM criteria for ADHD. I have gotten a new glimpse into the world of some of my patients. One patient even mentioned it’s hard for them to come to appointments, even with transportation, and we were able for the first time to talk at length about those psychological factors that prevent them from getting consistent follow up leading to lapses in effective treatment.

Is this the first step toward more consistent care? Better outcomes?

Some in my center therapists hate it as much as I do, but some really love it. Is this just not going to be everyone’s color?

There is room for yellows, blues, greens, reds, and all our mixtures. My experience is not representative of the entire tele field. Maybe there is even a place for it in my practice going forward, and our ability to bill for these encounters should continue. (Can you hear me, CMS!)

But this cannot be my full-time practice. I hope there is a place for all of us. I hope when I retire, the money and screens haven’t ultimately won over the best care for all patients. The optimist in me is hopeful, but the fast-talking irreverent realist in me says we will have to fight for our places."

Allie Thomas-Fannin is a psychiatrist.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "A psychiatrist crashes into telemedicine during the pandemic." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/05/a-psychiatrist-crashes-into-telemedicine-during-the-pandemic.html)