If there’s one thing that underserved communities and tier-one hospitals have in common, it’s the behavioral health provider shortage. Yes, it’s true – even major health systems can struggle to find psychiatrists, social workers, therapists, and psych nurses to cover needs like ED consults or inpatient psychiatric services. So you can probably imagine how much harder it is for Tribal nations and rural areas to offer consistent mental health support to every patient who needs it.
Now Tribal Health is adding a new dimension to our existing behavioral health services: telepsychiatry. Just as with regular telehealth, our services connect patients to quality care when they might not otherwise have access. Our program delivers:
- Board-certified psychiatrists and advanced practice registered nurses trained in rural and Tribal care delivery
- 24/7 psychiatric care for all clinical and private settings
- Extensive therapy options, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Medical assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorders
- Psychiatric evaluation and medication management
Here’s how it works.
On-Call Telepsych Services: Continuous, Convenient, and Discreet
Lack of qualified professionals is a big barrier in behavioral health, but it’s not the only one. When it comes to remote areas, patients can struggle with 2 other barriers: lack of transportation and fear of stigma. The nearest IHS clinic or critical access hospital might be two hours away – a long trip for a brief appointment. Covering childcare, taking time off from work, and arranging transportation can deter patients from seeking help. In small communities, where everyone knows everyone, patients may worry about someone spotting their truck parked outside a therapist’s office.
Telepsychiatry dissolves those barriers. Tribal Health’s on-call telepsych services bring expert mental health support right into a patient’s home, ensuring they receive consistent care even when poor weather or lack of a vehicle keeps them at home. Patients feel safe to seek care, because it’s delivered privately.
For facilities and providers, the benefits are obvious. Virtual visits dramatically reduce no-shows, while facilities pay for services only when they’re needed – instead of paying the salary of a full-time behavioral health professional.
ED Backup: Rapid Crisis Triage
Every emergency department needs on-call psychiatric support. When psych patients arrive at the ED and there’s no one available to provide a psych evaluation, they often become “ED Boarders” while they wait hours or even days for that consult. Tribal Health telepsych services quickly connect the patient to the appropriate level of care while reducing risk of improper discharge and providing a safety net for that busy ED team. Our rapid crisis triage can:
- Help assess and stabilize patients, de-escalating potential crises
- Move patients to the next level of care while keeping ED beds free for medical emergencies
- Help ED teams make safe and compliant discharge and admission decisions, reducing risk and liability.
Telepsych Means Accessible Mental Health Support 24/7
Compassionate mental health support must be accessible, or patients won’t benefit. Our Board-certified psychiatrists and advanced practice registered nurses advance meet patients where they are, when they need it – whether that’s at home, in a regular physician’s office, or in the emergency department. By bringing culturally connected mental health care to rural and Indigenous communities, we can help more patients get the support they need – even when their community lacks behavioral health options.
If you’re interested in finding out if telepsych is the right fit for you and your patients, don’t hesitate to reach out! We’d love to talk to you about your facility’s behavioral health needs. Just email our team at together@tribalhealth.com.
