While the days of doctors making house calls may be over – we have the next best thing! You can talk to your primary medical care provider, psychiatric provider, and/or therapist from the comfort of your home, with telehealth and telepsychiatry.
How
SFHC offers both telehealth and telepsychiatry through a platform called AthenaHealth. To set up these appointments, please talk to your provider to determine if they are a good option for you.
Before your appointment, you will be sent a link via text and email to sign up for the secure, HIPPA compliant app. The day of your appointment, the video link will be sent to you from your provider. More information/instructions are available on Athenahealth, if you are interested.
Why
Comfort. Convenience. Accessibility.
First and foremost, telehealth/psychiatry appointments increase access to care. Finding providers can be hard, especially in rural areas. Patients do not have to drive hours to access mental health or medical care. Plus, wait time is cut dramatically, from 30 minutes to 6!
Telehealth/psychiatry appointments also allow family members to be able to provide support on the call, if needed, even without being in the same location.
Additionally, especially during COVID-19, video appointments were able to prevent the spread of infectious disease by allowing patients to meet their providers from their home.
Interested in scheduling a telehealth/psychiatry appointment? Contact your provider to learn if it is a good fit for you.
