Aftermath of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic created an enormous level of stress on a global scale, leading to elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. Along with this came a disruption and challenges in the delivery of mental health services that were traditionally provided in the office. This disruption, increased need, and already limited access to mental health services could create a very challenging situation. To prevent that, we had to make a robust transition in our ways of delivering services to videoconferencing and allowing coverage by the payors. Like other transitions, adopting the use of technology was challenging for many, especially in the absence of high-speed internet infrastructure for some patients. For those with limited logistics or knowledge of video-conferencing, often the sessions take place over the phone, which reduces access to a patient's nonverbal behavior. Sound quality might not be great, leading to an extended time for enabling sufficient communication. Although in psychiatry, physical examination is used less often than in most other medical specialties, when it is needed, telepsychiatry is a barrier. Despite these challenges, telepsychiatry has provided enormous opportunities, especially for less economically privileged patients. For an office visit, one must take time off work, find childcare, and have access to reliable transportation to make it to the visit. For those with limited resources or in areas far from psychiatric services, this would lead to frequent interruptions in care and economic cost. Telepsychiatry has overcome those barriers. Patients can connect to providers regardless of their geographical location, and connect while at home near their children, during their lunch break, or even from their car in the parking lot.