%0 Journal Article
%T Attracting Child Psychiatrists to a Televideo Consultation Service: The TeleLink Experience
%A Tiziana Volpe
%A Katherine M. Boydell
%A Antonio Pignatiello
%J International Journal of Telemedicine and Applications
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/146858
%X Objective. Identify aspects of psychiatry work that are rewarding, as well as those that are challenging, from the perspective of psychiatrists and residents participating in televideo consultation services. Method. A web-based survey was distributed to psychiatrists within the Division of Child Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Also, semistructured interviews were conducted with six child psychiatrists providing services to a telepsychiatry program. Finally, a focus group interview was held with four psychiatry residents. Results. Child psychiatrists are very comfortable conducting assessments via televideo. Factors identified as being important in the decision to participate in telepsychiatry include assisting underserved communities, supportive administrative staff, enhanced rural provider capacity, financial incentives, and convenience. The study¡¯s qualitative phase identified four themes in the decision to participate in telepsychiatry: (1) organizational, (2) shared values, (3) innovation, and (4) the consultation model. Conclusion. The success of televideo consultation programs in attracting child psychiatrists to provide consultation services to underresourced communities makes an important contribution to psychiatric workforce shortages. Understanding what aspects of telepsychiatry are most appreciated by consulting psychiatrists and residents offers useful strategies to telepsychiatry administrators and medical school educators seeking to attract, train, and retain psychiatry practitioners. 1. Background There is an emerging concern about the shortage of child psychiatrists in Canada and elsewhere [1, 2], a problem that is expected to worsen in the coming years. As availability of psychiatric expertise diminishes, access to timely and appropriate specialty mental health care for children and youth is endangered. In Ontario, Canada, the problem of access is particularly problematic in rural communities and complicates provision of mental health services [3]. The ratio of child psychiatrists to children with mental health needs is approximately 1£¿:£¿6,148 [4]. However, only 2% of child psychiatrists practice primarily in areas with populations of less than 20,000, though approximately 18% of the population lives in rural areas [4]. The shortage of resources and support services in rural communities means that children requiring urgent care often are frequently placed in residential care outside of their community [5]. Live interactive videoconferencing technology offers an innovative opportunity to address the shortage of child
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijta/2013/146858/