Telepsychiatry is used in the treatment of many psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan states that the client and therapist having met face-to-face beforehand is considered the most important criterion in telepsychiatry, explaining that the application makes it possible to meet online face-to-face if the client cannot attend therapy due to different health problems or being at a distant location from the therapist. Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “We first implemented telepsychiatry in Turkey in 2008. With this application, we provided uninterrupted therapy support to 8,900 clients in 37,254 sessions by the end of 2022. During the pandemic, telepsychiatry fully achieved its purpose. 20,800 sessions were applied to 4,550 clients.”
8,900 clients benefited from the telepsychiatry application…
The Telepsychiatry application, first implemented in Turkey by Üsküdar Üniversitesi NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi in 2008, allows clients and therapists to have face-to-face meetings online via a computer screen.
The first session must be face-to-face
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the telepsychiatry application is carried out in written or video format according to the client and therapist's preference, adding, “It is the most important criterion in telepsychiatry that the person has definitely met face-to-face beforehand and that their therapy has continued mutually for a while. In the early years, therapies conducted over the phone began to be carried out online with the advancement of technology. If the client cannot physically come to therapy due to health issues or being abroad, it becomes possible for them to meet with the therapist in this way to prevent interruption of the ongoing therapy.”
It provides benefits in the treatment of many psychiatric diseases
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan underlined that telepsychiatry provides benefits in the treatment of many psychiatric illnesses, saying, “Many psychiatric illnesses, especially depression and anxiety disorders, are covered by telepsychiatry. When psychotherapy is mentioned, conversational therapy and chat are understood, but we can say that this method is outdated. Now, structured psychotherapies are being applied. A treatment therapy technique is chosen according to the individual's needs and goals. Therapy works better when brain chemistry is improved. Over time, the application will diversify and become widespread according to needs. The application is widely used in America. We were the first to implement this technique in Turkey. In the telepsychiatry application we launched in 2008, 8,900 clients benefited from our online therapy services with a total of 37,254 sessions.”
Treatments continued uninterrupted during the pandemic
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the telepsychiatry application continued during the pandemic to ensure uninterrupted client therapies, saying, “The telepsychiatry application fully proved its worth during the pandemic. During the intense Covid-19 epidemic, 4,550 clients who could not physically meet with their therapists benefited from 20,800 telepsychiatry sessions.”
Telepsychiatry should be applied after the recognition process
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said that ideally, a neurological examination is performed first in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses, and continued:
“Clients undergo a check-up to determine how the body's nervous system functions. In addition, a physical examination of the patient should be performed. If the person does not have problems such as blood pressure and heart conditions, they can benefit from telepsychiatry counseling services. In face-to-face physical therapies, great importance is given to the client's eye contact and facial expressions. Therefore, as experts, we do not find it appropriate to use the telepsychiatry application in the first therapy session. Telepsychiatry can be started after the therapist and client have become accustomed to and understood each other. After the initial recognition process, even on screen, the therapist can easily perceive differences in speech patterns and facial expressions since they have previously gotten to know their client. It is possible to say that there is no difference between telepsychiatry and classic psychotherapy services. Emotional sharing, gestures, and facial expressions can be perceived by the therapist. Telepsychiatry does not pose an obstacle in terms of therapy dynamics.”
Telepsychiatry solved the distance problem
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that the telepsychiatry application provides many advantages, stating, “People couldn't come due to distance and were abandoning their treatment. Therefore, it increased the accessibility of distant individuals. Clients do not abandon their started therapy thanks to this method. At the same time, it prevented clients outside the city from having to change therapists. The problem of distance between the client and the therapist has been eliminated. Since therapy is conducted live, there is no loss of time or energy. This application, which we use effectively, has facilitated treatments and increased sustainability.”
3-year security infrastructure planned
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that they attach great importance to the privacy and security of information, saying, “We have established information security standards for this application. We keep security at the highest level in the system to prevent information from falling into the wrong hands. A security infrastructure for 3 years was planned. Cryptological security passwords were created, similar to systems in banks. It is not possible for any unauthorized person to access client files. The therapist and client can schedule an appointment and communicate through the system. If the person wishes, their session is recorded; if not, it is not.”