Technology Considerations in Child and Adolescent Telepsychiatry
Daniel Alicata, MD, PhD, DFAACAP

• Trainees must learn to assess the suitability of technology available for conducting telepsychiatry at both the proximal and distal sites, including the strength of the broadband transmission and the amount of broadband devoted to the maintaining the virtual connection between two or more sites. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are frequently asked to provide services to rural areas, where connectivity can sometimes be complicated.
• Trainees should be encouraged to learn more about technology involved in telepsychiatry with children from IT professionals and take advantage of training offered by vendors that manufacture and distribute virtual platforms.
• Proposed competencies for technical training in telepsychiatry suggest that trainees should learn to operate equipment and software used in conducting telepsychiatry, such as cameras and audio equipment. In addition, trainees should not just use the equipment, but rather, learn to optimize the unique capabilities of the equipment and trouble-shoot technical problems

References

1. Clinical update: Telepsychiatry with children and adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2017;56(10):875-893
2. Crawford A, Sunderji N, López  J, Soklaridis S. Defining competencies for the practice of telepsychiatry through an assessment of resident learning needs. BMC Medical Education. 2010; 16, 28.doi:10.1186/s12909-016-0529-0.