[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":431},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-future-of-psychiatry":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":200,"relatedBooks":334},{"id":5,"date":6,"date_gmt":7,"guid":8,"modified":10,"modified_gmt":11,"slug":12,"status":13,"type":14,"link":15,"title":16,"content":18,"excerpt":21,"author":23,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":29,"categories":30,"tags":35,"project_category":53,"contact_email_category":57,"yst_prominent_words":58,"class_list":68,"better_featured_image":99,"acf":136,"yoast_meta":145,"_links":147},23980,"2021-08-13T15:08:38","2021-08-13T13:08:38",{"rendered":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=23980&#038;_wpnonce=39c150127c&#038;status=auto-draft&#038;type=post","2021-08-13T15:08:39","2021-08-13T13:08:39","future-of-psychiatry","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Ffuture-of-psychiatry",{"rendered":17},"The Future of Psychiatry: Telehealth, Chatbots, and Artificial Intelligence",{"rendered":19,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Could a chatbot, an online community, or a telepsychiatry solution offer meaningful help for people who are fighting mental health issues? Could virtual reality, artificial intelligence, or genetics appear as elements of assistance in the toolkit of medical professionals in the fields dealing with the human psyche?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>While we agree that medical fields requiring the most empathy and human touch will most probably not be swept away by new innovations, we looked thoroughly at how technology will appear in the future of psychiatry.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Future of Psychiatry: Telehealth, Chatbots And Virtual Reality  - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F2GVA-K8oJes?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The human\ntouch is indispensable in fields dealing with the psyche\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2018 we started a project to map out the universe of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fimprove-mental-health-with-technology\" target=\"_blank\">mental health apps\u003C\u002Fa>. We tested 9 apps and devices altogether, with varying results. Within, we decided to \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwoebothealth.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Woebot\u003C\u002Fa>, an A.I.-powered mental health chatbot to see how meaningful a conversation can be with an algorithm. While the technology is rapidly evolving, our experience didn&#8217;t quite give us the feeling of emotional support. It could not make us believe that it’s a viable alternative to a human. But the question is: should it make her believe that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The human touch is a key part of practising medicine, and regarding the field of clinical psychology, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, psychotherapy, psychiatry, or psychiatric nursing, human connection, understanding, and empathy build such a basic foundation that it is very hard to imagine how technology could play a meaningful role in it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Regardless, a plethora of smartphone apps, virtual reality and telemedical solutions, experiments for creating artificial intelligence platforms and robots for therapeutic purposes through trying to “teach them” \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Falgorithms-robots-mimic-empathy\">how to mimic empathy\u003C\u002Fa> are underway, so we decided to look around how technology will appear in the future of psychiatry.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F09\u002Fmimicking-empathy-512x288.png\" alt=\"future of psychiatry\" class=\"wp-image-16376\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F09\u002Fmimicking-empathy-512x288.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F09\u002Fmimicking-empathy-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F09\u002Fmimicking-empathy-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F09\u002Fmimicking-empathy-444x250.png 444w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F09\u002Fmimicking-empathy.png 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Mental health apps to support therapy\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Many apps explicitly say that they can guide patients on their journey towards mental health and stability; some promise to guide clinicians to help their patients better. As an example for the latter, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.psychiatry.org\u002Fpsychiatrists\u002Fpractice\u002Fmental-health-apps\">American Psychiatric Association created an online tool\u003C\u002Fa> to navigate psychiatrists through the bourgeoning mental health app world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>These tools range on a wide scale from harmless \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fimprove-mental-health-with-technology\">anger-soothing, meditation apps\u003C\u002Fa> through mood trackers to PTSD, stress or anxiety management instruments. These tools offer a temporary solution for people suffering from mental health troubles when a therapist is not immediately available.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Online communities with peer support\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Words of comfort, uncompromised attention, and empathy coming from members of a trusted group could work wonders. Especially when the community knows what they are talking about. Thus, online communities with peers going through the same problems could also offer tremendous help – especially in times when an offline alternative is not available. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For example, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002F18percent.org\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">18percent\u003C\u002Fa> is a free online mental health community based on Slack, where one can receive peer-to-peer support instantly and constantly. The community offers free, 24\u002F7 support in a moderated environment, with many channels that cover various mental health issues ranging from addiction through depression, mood disorder to OCD. 18percent is an official partner of the US \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.us8.list-manage.com\u002Ftrack\u002Fclick?u=5b42ebb547c75ff669a6572d3&amp;id=47458395b4&amp;e=d647e4d78c\">Crisis Text Line\u003C\u002Fa> and the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.us8.list-manage.com\u002Ftrack\u002Fclick?u=5b42ebb547c75ff669a6572d3&amp;id=12cd6a727d&amp;e=d647e4d78c\">National Eating Disorders Association\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Other similar applications, such as \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftogetherall.com\u002Fen-us\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Togetherall\u003C\u002Fa> or the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fadaa.org\u002Fadaa-online-support-group\">ADAA online support group\u003C\u002Fa> also provide online spaces where people suffering from various mental health troubles can come together and talk about their problems, with or without support from trained therapists. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Mental health apps’ and online peer communities’ greatest advantage is that they offer immediate help in the middle of the night or during other periods when a psychiatrist or psychologist isn’t within reach\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Zach Schleien, Co-Founder of 18percent told The Medical Futurist that “\u003Cem>children may use bots since they may be afraid to tell their parents that they are dealing with mental health issues. People who do not have the means to pay for therapy may turn to bots as a low-cost option. Individuals who are traveling or are unable to sleep late at night may speak with a bot since the “\u003C\u002Fem>human\u003Cem>” therapist will likely be unavailable\u003C\u002Fem>”. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Telemedicine: connecting patients and therapists\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Telemedicine is also connecting those in need. Remote care solutions could work here even better than in the case of other specialties, as contrary to other fields, the patient doesn’t need a physical exam, but a meaningful conversation. Moreover, it could also mean a solution for the still prevailing stigma of “going to a therapist.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Patients can schedule sessions with human coaches through smartphone apps. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.doctorondemand.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Doctor On Demand\u003C\u002Fa>, teenager-focussed \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fginger.io\u002F\">Ginger\u003C\u002Fa>, or platform provider \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cloud9psych.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Cloud 9\u003C\u002Fa> make mental healthcare more accessible, connecting patients or those in crisis with mental healthcare professionals. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fitunes.apple.com\u002Fus\u002Fapp\u002Ftalkspace-therapy\u002Fid661829386?mt=8\">Talkspace\u003C\u002Fa> connects users with licensed therapists through messaging. The service is not meant to replace real, face-to-face sessions, and the therapists are trained to tell the users if they need more or different counselling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.americanwell.com\u002Fresources\u002Fhow-childrens-omaha-improves-mental-health-access-and-outcomes-through-telehealth\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center in Omaha\u003C\u002Fa>, which services multiple states in the U.S., provides another great example of the impact telemedicine psychiatry has on patients and providers. Children’s Omaha serves over 250,000 children, the vast majority of whom living in rural areas with limited or nonexistent access to psychiatric care. Using \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.americanwell.com\u002Fresources\u002Fhow-childrens-omaha-improves-mental-health-access-and-outcomes-through-telehealth\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">telepsychiatry\u003C\u002Fa>, the health system has been able to reduce follow-up no show rates by 50 percent, eliminate the psychiatrist’s 26-hour weekly windshield time, and have one psychiatrist provide care to over 600 patients in the program’s pilot year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Virtual reality against phobias\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Virtual\nreality offers another brand-new way to treat mental health problems, such as\nanxieties, fears, and phobias. The immersive environment re-creates the fearful\nsituation for patients – but it also offers them a safe place to get over their\nparanoia: they are under the control of physicians, and they can get out of the\nsimulation any time\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The Spanish and American behavioural health technology company, \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.psious.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Psious\u003C\u002Fa> offers unique VR treatments for psychological conditions such as fear of flying, needles, various animals, public speaking, general anxiety, or agoraphobia. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.virtuallybetter.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Virtually Better\u003C\u002Fa>, the pioneering VR company founded in 1996, offers among others an exposure therapy for people suffering from anxiety disorders, specific phobias, or post-traumatic stress syndrome. Made for the mental wellbeing, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.exploredeep.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Deep VR\u003C\u002Fa> is a meditative virtual reality game, controlled by breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Deep Trailer\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002Fso1u6G4qch0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fstore.steampowered.com\u002Fapp\u002F485270\u002FArachnophobia\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Arachnophobia\u003C\u002Fa> offers self-guided exposure therapy for people having an irrational fear of spiders. You are exposed to an increasing number of spiders in a room, and if that were not enough of a stressor, you are not allowed to move your hands or arms during the session. \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fstore.steampowered.com\u002Fapp\u002F517160\u002FRichies_Plank_Experience\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Richie’s Plank Experience\u003C\u002Fa> places you on a plank, 80 stories above ground, to tackle the fear of heights. And people who are afraid of public speaking can face the dreaded situation with \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fstore.steampowered.com\u002Fapp\u002F544880\u002FLimelight_VR\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Limelight\u003C\u002Fa>, which gives users the option of appearing in a business meeting, small classroom, or in a large hall as they give a speech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Pharmacogenomics: finding the most appropriate antidepressants\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A specific strand in personalized medicine aims to revolutionize how we think about medication, which might also impact psychiatry and prescription medicine, e.g. antidepressants or antipsychotics. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC2014592\u002F\">Pharmacogenomics\u003C\u002Fa> deals precisely with this issue area. It is defined as the study of variability in drug response due to the genetic code. It argues that despite general sentiments, medications do not have the same effect on people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Indeed, inherited genetic variations (such as in cytochrome enzymes) can \u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.mdedge.com\u002Fpsychiatry\u002Farticle\u002F63442\u002Fpsychiatrys-future-here-here-are-6-trends-will-affect-your-practice\">influence the body’s response to drugs\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fstrong>Genetic screening in clinical practice will hopefully become routine soon, enabling psychiatrists to customize drug treatment to achieve better efficacy and tolerability for each patient. This will help us adapt therapies to address genetic variations within our ethnically diverse society.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F053-pharmacogenomics-512x288.png\" alt=\"pharmacogenomics\" class=\"wp-image-22433\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F053-pharmacogenomics-512x288.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F053-pharmacogenomics-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F053-pharmacogenomics-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F11\u002F053-pharmacogenomics.png 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Artificial intelligence: flag signs of depression and suicidal thoughts\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A.I. can give a helping hand when it comes to the early detection of depression. The \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fjournals.sagepub.com\u002Fdoi\u002Fabs\u002F10.1177\u002F2167702617691560?journalCode=cpxa\">machine learning algorithm\u003C\u002Fa> created at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville uses hospital admissions data, including age, gender, zip code, medication, and diagnostic history, to predict the likelihood of any given individual taking their own life. In trials using data \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fqz.com\u002F1367197\u002Fmachines-know-when-someones-about-to-attempt-suicide-how-should-we-use-that-information\u002F\">gathered from more than 5,000 patients who had been admitted to the hospital for either self-harm or suicide attempts\u003C\u002Fa>, the algorithm was 84 percent accurate at predicting whether someone would attempt suicide the following week, and 80 percent accurate at predicting whether someone would attempt suicide within the following two years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A.I. can also \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fganeskesari\u002F2021\u002F05\u002F24\u002Fai-can-now-detect-depression-from-just-your-voice\u002F?sh=44797a7e4c8d\" target=\"_blank\">detect depression from your voice\u003C\u002Fa> – and it&#8217;s even eerily accurate. In fact, it&#8217;s twice as accurate in it than a human practitioner. &#8220;\u003Cem>There might be as many as 1,000 smartphone-based ‘biomarkers’ for depression\u003C\u002Fem>,&#8221; \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalxpress.com\u002Fnews\u002F2019-01-depression-apps-teen-angst.html\">said Dr. Thomas Insel\u003C\u002Fa>, former head of the National Institute of Mental Health and now a leader in the smartphone psychiatry movement. Researchers are testing apps that use artificial intelligence to try to predict depression episodes or potential self-harm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>What&#8217;s the future of mental health management via technologies?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2020, Brad Pierce from Virginia Commonwealth University investigated the magnitude of the changes in mental health due to COVID-19. “\u003Cem>Telepsychology is different from in-person therapy. Each method has advantages and disadvantages over the other\u003C\u002Fem>” – we quoted Pierce in our article on \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fa-deeper-look-into-telepsychology-during-covid-19-it-all-depends-how-you-look-at-it\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">Telepsychology During COVID-19.\u003C\u002Fa> As of today, telepsychology is not a “thing” but an everyday choice for patients and professionals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Psychiatry, clinical psychology, and all the other medical fields dealing with mental health issues will always remain a personal profession. An intimate doctor-patient relationship cannot be built through chatbots, smartphones, or telemedical screens in these fields, although these solutions could alleviate the immediate need for a therapist. As Brad Pierce and his colleagues found, many practitioners feel they will conduct their practice online after the pandemic: &#8220;\u003Cem>psychologists nationwide predict that 34.9% of their treatment will occur via telepsychology after the pandemic ends.&#8221;\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>As there is a lack of physicians worldwide, they might need to learn how to use technologies more and more alongside with the skill how to offer words of wisdom and empathy through screens, and how to offer peace of mind regarding data security. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you&#8217;d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp>&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp>\n",false,{"rendered":22,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Could a chatbot, an online community, or a telepsychiatry solution offer meaningful help for people who are fighting mental health issues? Could virtual reality, artificial [&hellip;]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,23985,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31,32,33,34],504,491,521,514,[36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52],425,894,444,923,445,450,134,1166,144,1347,207,246,527,271,640,289,759,[54,55,56],947,950,951,[],[59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67],1571,1579,1715,1725,1883,2029,1559,1563,1569,[69,14,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98],"post-23980","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artificial-intelligence","category-empowered-patients","category-future-medicine","category-virtual-reality","tag-technology-2","tag-mental-health","tag-virtual","tag-health-apps","tag-virtual-reality","tag-vr","tag-ai","tag-digital-health-technologies","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-psychiatry","tag-digital-health","tag-future","tag-ar","tag-health","tag-psychology","tag-innovation","tag-apps","project_category-company","project_category-medical-professionals","project_category-patients",{"id":24,"alt_text":100,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":101,"media_details":102,"post":5,"source_url":135},"future of 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fields requiring social skills might not be swept away by new innovations, we looked at how technology will appear in the future of psychiatry.",{"self":148,"collection":154,"about":157,"author":160,"replies":163,"version-history":166,"predecessor-version":170,"wp:featuredmedia":174,"wp:attachment":177,"wp:term":180,"curies":196},[149],{"href":150,"targetHints":151},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23980",{"allow":152},[153],"GET",[155],{"href":156},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[158],{"href":159},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[161],{"embeddable":26,"href":162},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[164],{"embeddable":26,"href":165},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=23980",[167],{"count":168,"href":169},9,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23980\u002Frevisions",[171],{"id":172,"href":173},35561,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F23980\u002Frevisions\u002F35561",[175],{"embeddable":26,"href":176},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F23985",[178],{"href":179},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=23980",[181,184,187,190,193],{"taxonomy":182,"embeddable":26,"href":183},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=23980",{"taxonomy":185,"embeddable":26,"href":186},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=23980",{"taxonomy":188,"embeddable":26,"href":189},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=23980",{"taxonomy":191,"embeddable":26,"href":192},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=23980",{"taxonomy":194,"embeddable":26,"href":195},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=23980",[197],{"name":198,"href":199,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[201],{"id":140,"date":202,"date_gmt":203,"guid":204,"modified":206,"modified_gmt":207,"slug":208,"status":13,"type":14,"link":209,"title":210,"content":212,"excerpt":214,"author":23,"featured_media":216,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":217,"categories":218,"tags":225,"project_category":232,"contact_email_category":234,"yst_prominent_words":235,"class_list":245,"better_featured_image":260,"acf":282,"yoast_meta":290,"_links":293},"2020-10-27T09:55:00","2020-10-27T08:55:00",{"rendered":205},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=30847&#038;_wpnonce=fa206afd47&#038;status=auto-draft&#038;type=post","2021-01-21T09:52:36","2021-01-21T08:52:36","a-deeper-look-into-telepsychology-during-covid-19-it-all-depends-how-you-look-at-it","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fa-deeper-look-into-telepsychology-during-covid-19-it-all-depends-how-you-look-at-it",{"rendered":211},"Telepsychology During COVID-19: It All Depends On How You Look At It",{"rendered":213,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cp>The global lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic has opened the door to the deepest fears of humanity in this interconnected world: isolation. A worldwide scale of anxiety, loneliness and fear, associated with worrying about the virus, unemployment, social isolation and uncertainty added up to a mental state we may even start to call as “\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>depidemic\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>.” Research \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.washingtonpost.com\u002Fhealth\u002Fcoronavirus-is-harming-the-mental-health-of-tens-of-millions-of-people-in-us-new-poll-finds\u002F2020\u002F04\u002F02\u002F565e6744-74ee-11ea-85cb-8670579b863d_story.html\" target=\"_blank\">shows\u003C\u002Fa> that about of half the population has been or is facing mental health issues since the outbreak. Preserving mental health thus has been an increasing topic over the past months.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We know for a fact that \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fbenjaminlaker\u002F2020\u002F10\u002F21\u002Fhow-remote-working-affects-your-mental-health\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">working from home\u003C\u002Fa> is linked with increased stress levels and that a growing number of healthcare workers and frontliners \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwill-medical-workers-deal-with-ptsd-after-covid-19\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">experience PTSD\u003C\u002Fa>. We also know that the lockdown itself had a \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Fhealth-54616688\" target=\"_blank\">major impact\u003C\u002Fa> on emotional well-being on a global scale; that children are \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fsociety\u002F2020\u002Foct\u002F21\u002Ffigures-lay-bare-toll-of-pandemic-on-uk-childrens-mental-health\" target=\"_blank\">particularly affected,\u003C\u002Fa> resulting in a growing number of child \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.independent.co.uk\u002Flife-style\u002Fchildren-parenting-agoraphobia-coronavirus-lockdown-b1154053.html\" target=\"_blank\">agoraphobes\u003C\u002Fa>; and that \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Fuk-england-essex-53684700\" target=\"_blank\">alcohol abuse\u003C\u002Fa> has also increased worldwide. It is thus not an overstatement to say that the world is heading towards a mental health apocalypse. And the two are interconnected: “good mental health is absolutely fundamental to overall health and well-being,” \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.who.int\u002Fnews\u002Fitem\u002F05-10-2020-covid-19-disrupting-mental-health-services-in-most-countries-who-survey\" target=\"_blank\">said\u003C\u002Fa> Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"680\" height=\"680\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002FEZlU9iNXkAMXch1-1.jpg\" alt=\"Depidemic \" class=\"wp-image-30849\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002FEZlU9iNXkAMXch1-1.jpg 680w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002FEZlU9iNXkAMXch1-1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>At the same time, conventional treatment methods, particularly in-person consultations were out of the question for evident reasons. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>So there we were: an immensely growing number of people willing to start or continue therapy on one side, and psychologists and coaches, unable to provide service due to lockdown measures on the other one. The next step was obvious: remote counselling.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh5>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>A quick look in the rearview mirror\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The first \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fbooks\u002FNBK207141\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">mention\u003C\u002Fa> of telephone-based remote care consultation was in the Lancet journal in 1897, but telepsychology did not catch up until the late \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.psychiatry.org\u002Fpsychiatrists\u002Fpractice\u002Ftelepsychiatry\u002Ftoolkit\u002Fhistory-of-telepsychiatry\" target=\"_blank\">1950s\u003C\u002Fa> when group therapy, consultation-liaison psychiatry and even medical student training were offered in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The service was primarily for people living in remote areas. In the 1970s-80s remote psychological care became more common, but only a handful of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.tandfonline.com\u002Fdoi\u002Ffull\u002F10.1080\u002F09515070.2020.1782842\" target=\"_blank\">institutions\u003C\u002Fa> offered training opportunities in telepsychology for students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Remote care can offer better access to quality care for many people in need. It is convenient for people in remote areas, or in places where patients must take long commutes to get to the psychologist as they are likely to quit their therapy henceforth. But telepsychology even widens the possibilities towards people who previously weren’t able to take part in counselling: like people with disabilities or those with agoraphobia or PTSD, who have difficulty attending sessions in person. It also helps overcome language barriers as foreign speakers can turn to a professional fluent in their language even if they don’t live in the same area. Research also \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC3662387\u002F\" target=\"_blank\">confirmed\u003C\u002Fa> its effectiveness in therapy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The method doesn’t come without shortcomings. It assumes that people actually do have a private place to talk or have access to devices like a computer and a camera, while that is often not the case. Some psychologists \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.psychologytoday.com\u002Fintl\u002Fblog\u002Fadventures-in-cyberspace\u002F201908\u002Fshould-you-try-telepsychology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">found\u003C\u002Fa> that due to the limitations remote care poses, it is not appropriate for every concern: like if the client is seriously mentally ill, or for people with eating disorders.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002Ftelemed-covid-1-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30821\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002Ftelemed-covid-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002Ftelemed-covid-1-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002Ftelemed-covid-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Care from afar\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If there is one thing that’s good in 2020 is how the pandemic pushed \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nature.com\u002Farticles\u002Fs41746-020-00326-y\" target=\"_blank\">healthcare to go digital\u003C\u002Fa>. In the case of mental health care, doctors and counsellors moved over to online sessions with a previously unimaginable speed, taking courses and experimenting platforms in a matter of days. In a study recently \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.apa.org\u002Ffulltext\u002F2020-61592-001.html\" target=\"_blank\">published\u003C\u002Fa> in American Psychology, researcher Brad Pierce from Virginia Commonwealth University investigated the magnitude of the changes in mental health due to COVID-19.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Telepsychology is different from in-person therapy. Each method has advantages and disadvantages over the other” – Pierce noted. “For example, it may be helpful to have a patient’s friend or family member present in a distressing session, or they may find the distress easier to tolerate within the familiarity of their own home. Telepsychology can make it easier to facilitate these situations.” Pierce went deeper in explaining the differences.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Psychologists are trained to attend to non-verbal cues like foot tapping, fidgeting, or body positioning. Many of these cues are missed via telepsychology: simply because the camera is often capturing images of the participants from the shoulders up. “This means a psychologist must rely more heavily on other cues such as slurred speech, unkempt hair, or noticing their patient rocking in their seat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Before and after\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This was not the first time Pierce and his team went after telepsychology data. Asking the same questions in 2017, the research found that the most often cited barriers were 1) lack of specific training with telepsychology 2) patient safety 3) privacy concerns and 4) legal issues. Many psychologists were never educated on remote care solutions within their training programs to use them effectively. It is also crucial to recognize who the method is appropriate for, and which solutions and therapies are effective via telepsychology.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As a result of COVID-19, the demand for distance psychological care has increased astonishingly. And as we have seen, psychologists have done everything they can to meet the changed requirements and learn the use of the technology. However, fine-tuning the system is important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“Our research back then suggested that psychologists were significantly more likely to use it if they 1) knew it would be effective and 2) that it was easy to use. Since the pandemic began, psychologists have sought out and received training to address these concerns. They learned techniques for maintaining patient safety, how to address privacy issues, and how to practice legally” – Pierce added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"307\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F08\u002Ftop-telemedicine-solutions-768x307.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16193\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F08\u002Ftop-telemedicine-solutions-768x307.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F08\u002Ftop-telemedicine-solutions-512x205.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F08\u002Ftop-telemedicine-solutions-458x183.jpg 458w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F08\u002Ftop-telemedicine-solutions.jpg 870w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Online banking vs online handling\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2017 only a little over 20% of psychologists used telepsychology for patient treatment. ”It was frustrating when you consider how often people use digital networks to attend to the financial, educational, medical, and social aspects of their lives. Telepsychology is not always appropriate, but our data suggests that only about 7% of patient treatment occurred via telepsychology before the COVID-19 pandemic. Surely it had a bigger place in treatment than 7%.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>After the 2020 study researchers were shocked to see how quickly telepsychology was adopted. “\u003Cem>The shift from 7% of clinical work to more than 85% represents a lot of heavy lifting in a very short time\u003C\u002Fem>.”&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh5>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There was a concerted effort among psychologists and the community to identify and remove barriers. Psychologists sought out additional training, equipment was purchased, and policies were adjusted at every level to facilitate telehealth and telepsychology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Changing ways\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Asking 2,619 U.S. psychologists about the use of technology in their practice, Pierce and his team of researchers discovered not just the enormous extent of the change in treatment methods. They also found that many psychologists are planning to keep remote care even after the pandemic is gone. “We were surprised to see psychologists in every primary practice setting predict that they will use telepsychology significantly more after the pandemic ends than they did before it began. We had expected to see some sites return to their previous levels once the need for physical distancing ends. The results means that psychologists and patients will have more flexibility when considering treatment options.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F179_tmf-01-768x432.png\" alt=\"Lifestyle medicine\" class=\"wp-image-28791\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F179_tmf-01-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F179_tmf-01-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F179_tmf-01-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F06\u002F179_tmf-01.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Can telepsychology be really effective?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Therapists or psychologists build close professional relationships with their patients. As explained above, much of the non-verbal signs may fade or disappear in telepsychology. Asking about the efficacy of the therapeutic alliance (the patient-doctor relationship) is, therefore, an obvious question. “Dr Thomas Dwyer and his colleagues shared these concerns when \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nytimes.com\u002F2011\u002F07\u002F10\u002Ftechnology\u002Fbringing-therapists-to-patients-via-the-web.html\" target=\"_blank\">they created\u003C\u002Fa> a two-way video-conferencing system in the late 1960s to connect providers in Massachusetts General Hospital with patients located at a medical station a few miles away. They found they were able to accurately diagnose and effectively treat their patients’ mental health concerns while using the system” – Brad Pierce explained. In fact, Dwyer is said to be the first-ever person to use the word ‘telepsychiatry.’&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But it comes as no surprise that some patients preferred remote sessions over in-person ones. Over the past few months, there has been a number of \u003Ca rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.apa.org\u002Fmonitor\u002F2020\u002F07\u002Fcover-telepsychology\" target=\"_blank\">research\u003C\u002Fa> on the efficiency and the limitations of telepsychology. These often flagged important outcomes – like symptom reduction, doctor-patient relationship under the given circumstances or recurrence; comparing in-person treatments for a variety of diagnoses and therapeutic approaches.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“This is not surprising. People meet online and sustain relationships using technology all the time. Patients and therapists often find their awareness of the technology fades with time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Open-minded patients lead to wider adoption\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Dwyer and his team also noted that data also indicates that people in need of mental health care are increasingly open to such remote care options. As Brad Pierce explained, research-practitioners within the VCU’s Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative report that their patients were relieved and grateful that they could continue their treatment using this method rather than waiting for the pandemic to end. Some patients have even expressed their appreciation that they no longer need to commute for therapy.&nbsp;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“In our study, psychologists nationwide predict that 34.9% of their treatment will occur via telepsychology after the pandemic ends. It is hard to imagine psychologists would expect this if their patients were not receptive to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F196_tmf-01-768x432.png\" alt=\"Neorhythm\" class=\"wp-image-29597\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F196_tmf-01-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F196_tmf-01-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F196_tmf-01-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F196_tmf-01-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F08\u002F196_tmf-01.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Is telepsychology the future?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In principle, yes. As a result of the pandemic, there is now more flexibility in the system about the use of methods. Telepsychology is not a “thing” but an everyday choice for patients and professionals; a thought that fundamentally changed the way treatment is looked at. On the other hand, personal meetings and assessment of the individual and the patients’ non-verbal communication signs are vital in psychology. But as you see, “\u003Cem>it all depends on how we look at things and not how they are in themselves\u003C\u002Fem>.” \u003Cbr>At least that’s what Carl Gustav Jung said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In our \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwe-used-3-devices-for-meditation-heres-what-we-found\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">connecting article\u003C\u002Fa>, we take a look at slightly more unconventional ways of mental health support: meditation devices.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":215,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>The global lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic has opened the door to the deepest fears of humanity in this interconnected world: isolation. A worldwide [&hellip;]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",30867,{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[219,220,221,32,33,222,223,224],6479,4879,798,800,516,494,[226,227,228,229,230,50,231],6305,899,199,1430,4471,723,[233,55,56],949,[],[236,237,238,239,240,241,242,243,65,244,67,59],1583,1631,1841,2613,2829,2845,2861,3079,4449,[246,14,70,71,72,73,74,247,248,249,76,77,250,251,252,253,254,255,256,257,93,258,259,97,98],"post-30847","category-covid-19","category-lifestyle-medicine","category-digital-health-research","category-healthcare-policy","category-medical-education","category-telemedicine","tag-telepsychology","tag-anxiety","tag-depression","tag-remote","tag-remote-care","tag-telemedicine","project_category-educators",{"id":216,"alt_text":261,"caption":262,"description":263,"media_type":101,"media_details":264,"post":140,"source_url":281},"telepsychology TV TMF television doctor","Counselling on screen","Due to the pandemic, in-person mental health care was  mainly replaced with telepsychology: counselling through online chat, video or the phone TV television",{"width":103,"height":104,"file":265,"sizes":266,"image_meta":280},"2020\u002F10\u002F216_tmf-01.png",{"medium":267,"large":270,"thumbnail":273,"medium_large":276,"1536x1536":277},{"file":268,"width":109,"height":110,"mime-type":111,"source_url":269},"216_tmf-01-370x208.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002F216_tmf-01-370x208.png",{"file":271,"width":115,"height":116,"mime-type":111,"source_url":272},"216_tmf-01-768x432.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002F216_tmf-01-768x432.png",{"file":274,"width":120,"height":120,"mime-type":111,"source_url":275},"216_tmf-01-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002F216_tmf-01-150x150.png",{"file":271,"width":115,"height":116,"mime-type":111,"source_url":272},{"file":278,"width":125,"height":126,"mime-type":111,"source_url":279},"216_tmf-01-1536x864.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002F216_tmf-01-1536x864.png",{"aperture":134,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":134,"copyright":27,"focal_length":134,"iso":134,"shutter_speed":134,"title":27,"orientation":134},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2020\u002F10\u002F216_tmf-01.png",{"cta_type":141,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":283,"related_posts_footer":286,"related_posts":20},[284,285],27927,24757,[287,288,289],27293,29357,16189,{"yoast_wpseo_title":291,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":292,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":209},"Telepsychology During COVID-19: It All Depends On How You Look At It - The Medical Futurist","Research shows that about half the population has been or is facing mental health issues since the outbreak. The next step is obvious: remote counselling.",{"self":294,"collection":299,"about":301,"author":303,"replies":305,"version-history":308,"predecessor-version":311,"wp:featuredmedia":315,"wp:attachment":318,"wp:term":321,"curies":332},[295],{"href":296,"targetHints":297},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F30847",{"allow":298},[153],[300],{"href":156},[302],{"href":159},[304],{"embeddable":26,"href":162},[306],{"embeddable":26,"href":307},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=30847",[309],{"count":168,"href":310},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F30847\u002Frevisions",[312],{"id":313,"href":314},30923,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F30847\u002Frevisions\u002F30923",[316],{"embeddable":26,"href":317},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F30867",[319],{"href":320},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=30847",[322,324,326,328,330],{"taxonomy":182,"embeddable":26,"href":323},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=30847",{"taxonomy":185,"embeddable":26,"href":325},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=30847",{"taxonomy":188,"embeddable":26,"href":327},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=30847",{"taxonomy":191,"embeddable":26,"href":329},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=30847",{"taxonomy":194,"embeddable":26,"href":331},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=30847",[333],{"name":198,"href":199,"templated":26},[335],{"id":144,"date":336,"date_gmt":337,"guid":338,"modified":340,"modified_gmt":341,"slug":342,"status":13,"type":343,"link":344,"title":345,"content":347,"excerpt":349,"author":351,"featured_media":352,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"template":27,"yst_prominent_words":353,"class_list":355,"better_featured_image":358,"acf":376,"yoast_meta":400,"_links":402},"2019-09-06T21:56:27","2019-09-06T19:56:27",{"rendered":339},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_type=book&#038;p=24759","2023-03-12T18:06:35","2023-03-12T17:06:35","the-technological-future-of-medical-specialties","book","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fbooks\u002Fthe-technological-future-of-medical-specialties\u002F",{"rendered":346},"The Technological Future of Medical Specialties",{"rendered":348,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cp>In this e-book we specify in detail how the appearance of artificial intelligence, sensors, wearables, VR\u002FAR or robots affect each medical specialty in order to be able to discern what skills physicians will need in the future. We aim to show how physicians of the various professions can successfully prepare for the sweeping changes coming with the waves of technology. \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":350,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>In this e-book we specify in detail how the appearance of artificial intelligence, sensors, wearables, VR\u002FAR or robots affect each medical specialty in order to [&hellip;]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",10,49971,[354],2015,[356,343,357,71,73,74],"post-24759","type-book",{"id":352,"alt_text":27,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":101,"media_details":359,"post":144,"source_url":375},{"width":360,"height":361,"file":362,"filesize":363,"sizes":364,"image_meta":374},320,414,"2019\u002F09\u002Ffuture-of-medical-specialties.png",24785,{"medium":365,"thumbnail":370},{"file":366,"width":367,"height":110,"mime-type":111,"filesize":368,"source_url":369},"future-of-medical-specialties-320x208.png","320","52681","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002Ffuture-of-medical-specialties-320x208.png",{"file":371,"width":120,"height":120,"mime-type":111,"filesize":372,"source_url":373},"future-of-medical-specialties-150x150.png","26567","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002Ffuture-of-medical-specialties-150x150.png",{"aperture":134,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":134,"copyright":27,"focal_length":134,"iso":134,"shutter_speed":134,"title":27,"orientation":134},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002Ffuture-of-medical-specialties.png",{"leanpub_url":377,"buy_button_text":378,"preview":379},"https:\u002F\u002Fleanpub.com\u002Ffuture-of-medical-specialties","Get it on Leanpub",[380,382,384,386,388,390,392,394,396,398],{"image":381},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-01.png",{"image":383},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-02.png",{"image":385},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-03.png",{"image":387},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-04.png",{"image":389},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-05.png",{"image":391},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-06.png",{"image":393},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-07.png",{"image":395},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-08.png",{"image":397},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-09.png",{"image":399},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F09\u002FThe-Technological-Future-of-Medical-Specialties-2021-Preview-10.png",{"yoast_wpseo_title":401,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":27,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":344},"The Technological Future of Medical Specialties - The Medical Futurist",{"self":403,"collection":408,"about":411,"author":414,"replies":417,"wp:featuredmedia":420,"wp:attachment":423,"wp:term":426,"curies":429},[404],{"href":405,"targetHints":406},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fbook\u002F24759",{"allow":407},[153],[409],{"href":410},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fbook",[412],{"href":413},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fbook",[415],{"embeddable":26,"href":416},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F10",[418],{"embeddable":26,"href":419},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=24759",[421],{"embeddable":26,"href":422},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F49971",[424],{"href":425},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=24759",[427],{"taxonomy":194,"embeddable":26,"href":428},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=24759",[430],{"name":198,"href":199,"templated":26},1785847800192]