Transcultural Psychiatry Made Simple—Asynchronous Telepsychiatry as an Approach to Providing Culturally Relevant Care

Abstract

ATP consultations in Spanish, and those translated from Spanish to English, are feasible, and broad diagnostic reliability was achieved. The ATP process allows for rapid language translation. This approach could be useful across national boundaries and in numerous ethnic groups. Cross-language ATP may also offer significant benefits over the use of real-time interpreting services and has the potential to improve the quality of care by allowing for the addition of culturally relevant information.

Review of key telepsychiatry outcomes

“…Two studies compared the accuracy of diagnoses made using the SCID [59,60] , two studies evaluated reliability of child assessments [42,61] , four studies evaluated reliability of neuropsychological assessments [62][63][64][65] , and three studies evaluated reliability of measures of depressive symptom severity [66][67][68] . The remaining studies evaluated a range of targets such as alcohol use severity [69] , diagnostic accuracy [70][71][72] , competency to stand trial [73] , psychosis [26] , and adult autism [21] .…”

New Frontiers in Healthcare and Technology: Internet-and Web-Based Mental Options Emerge to Complement In-Person and Telepsychiatric Care Options

“…Similar methods are used in radiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, cardiology and pathology. One ATP model uses a basic questionnaire for screening by the provider of the patient, video capture of that interview, and uploading of patient histories for a remote psychiatrist for review in a HIPAA-adherent manner [18]. Diagnosis and treatment recommendations are made and PCPs implement care successfully about 80% of the time and the model is cost-effective [98,99].…”

“…Asynchronous telepsychiatry (ATP): ATP to primary care is feasible, valid and reliable in English and Spanish-speaking patients in primary care [18]. Similar methods are used in radiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, cardiology and pathology.…”

“…Some scholars consider e-MH to include only initiatives delivered directly to MH service users [15] and only on the Internet [15,16], as opposed to, for example, delivery via stand-alone computers or video seminars. The terms telemental health (TMH) and telepsychiatry have typically been used for traditional MH care services provided synchronously by videoconferencing [17], or asynchronously (e.g., provider interview of a patient, with video capture, uploading additional information, and transmission in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-adherent manner to a remote psychiatrist) [18].…”

“…A systematic approach was a multi-specialty phone and email teleconsultation system for adults and children with developmental disabilities [102]. Moderate intensity models include an integrated program of MH screening, therapy on site, and telepsychiatric consultation (phone, email or video), with continuing medical education (CME) and training on screening questionnaires [103,104] or asynchronous telepsychiatry (ATP) to primary care in English and Spanish-speaking patients in primary care [18,98,99]. High intensity models are typically the ones previously mentioned involving collaborative care [105][106][107].…”