The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) has announced that it is offering an online course discussing essential steps for planning and implementing a mental telehealth service.
The course is offered through ATA’s Learning Center and covers a multitude of areas such as the history, evolution, models of care and benefits of telemedicine. In addition, the course provides a detailed overview of telemental health and online service delivery models and instructs participants on how to develop an online mental health service or practice by outlining essential infrastructure and technology components for getting started.
Legal, regulatory, and ethical considerations when delivering mental health services online are also included in the course. Lastly, reimbursement strategies, clinical, administrative and technical best practices for delivering online video-based mental health services and tactics on how to best plan and respond to patient emergencies in an online setting are covered. Peter Yellowlees, M.D., director of informatics, UC Davis Health System in Sacramento, Calif., and ATA board member, shows enthusiasm regarding the new online web course, stating in a news release that it is "an essential resource for any provider who desires to treat patients using telemedicine."
University of South Florida Health (USF Health) will provide continuing education credits for the online course, including credit for physicians, psychologists, as well as Florida-licensed clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors.
