Dataset Information

Changes in telepsychiatry regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic: 17 countries and regions' approaches to an evolving healthcare landscape.

ABSTRACT:

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine as a way to reduce COVID-19 infections was noted and consequently deregulated. However, the degree of telemedicine regulation varies from country to country, which may alter the widespread use of telemedicine. This study aimed to clarify the telepsychiatry regulations for each collaborating country/region before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We used snowball sampling within a global network of international telepsychiatry experts. Thirty collaborators from 17 different countries/regions responded to a questionnaire on barriers to the use and implementation of telepsychiatric care, including policy factors such as regulations and reimbursement at the end of 2019 and as of May 2020.

Results

Thirteen of 17 regions reported a relaxation of regulations due to the pandemic; consequently, all regions surveyed stated that telepsychiatry was now possible within their public healthcare systems. In some regions, restrictions on prescription medications allowed via telepsychiatry were eased, but in 11 of the 17 regions, there were still restrictions on prescribing medications via telepsychiatry. Lower insurance reimbursement amounts for telepsychiatry consultations v. in-person consultations were reevaluated in four regions, and consequently, in 15 regions telepsychiatry services were reimbursed at the same rate (or higher) than in-person consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions

Our results confirm that, due to COVID-19, the majority of countries surveyed are altering telemedicine regulations that had previously restricted the spread of telemedicine. These findings provide information that could guide future policy and regulatory decisions, which facilitate greater scale and spread of telepsychiatry globally.

SUBMITTER: Kinoshita S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7750654 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Changes in telepsychiatry regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic: 17 countries and regions' approaches to an evolving healthcare landscape.

Kinoshita Shotaro S Cortright Kelley K Crawford Allison A Mizuno Yuya Y Yoshida Kazunari K Hilty Donald D Guinart Daniel D Torous John J Correll Christoph U CU Castle David J DJ Rocha Deyvis D Yang Yuan Y Xiang Yu-Tao YT Kølbæk Pernille P Dines David D ElShami Mohammad M Jain Prakhar P Kallivayalil Roy R Solmi Marco M Favaro Angela A Veronese Nicola N Seedat Soraya S Shin Sangho S Salazar de Pablo Gonzalo G Chang Chun-Hung CH Su Kuan-Pin KP Karas Hakan H Kane John M JM Yellowlees Peter P Kishimoto Taishiro T

Psychological medicine 20201127 13

<h4>Background</h4>During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine as a way to reduce COVID-19 infections was noted and consequently deregulated. However, the degree of telemedicine regulation varies from country to country, which may alter the widespread use of telemedicine. This study aimed to clarify the telepsychiatry regulations for each collaborating country/region before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.<h4>Methods</h4>We used snowball sampling within a global network of internation ...[more]

PMID: 33243311

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Dataset Information

Changes in telepsychiatry regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic: 17 countries and regions' approaches to an evolving healthcare landscape.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Changes in telepsychiatry regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic: 17 countries and regions' approaches to an evolving healthcare landscape.

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