Open AccessImplementation of a Telemental Health Training Program Across a Mental Health Department
Author(s) -
Bradford Felker,
Meghan M. McGinn,
Erika M. Shearer,
Gina T. Raza,
Sari D. Gold,
Jean M Kim,
Sasha M. Rojas,
Milena S Roussev,
Ruth Varkovitzky,
Huiting Liu,
Kate L. Morrison,
Russell A. McCann
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
telemedicine reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2692-4366
DOI - 10.1089/tmr.2020.0011
Subject(s) - mental health , competence (human resources) , medical education , nursing , psychology , medicine , psychiatry , social psychology
Introduction: Telemental health (TMH) has increased substantially. However, health care systems have found it challenging to implement TMH ubiquitously. A quality improvement project guided by implementation science methodology was used to design and implement a TMH training program. Materials and Methods: Implementation science methodology (Promoting Access to Research Implementation in Health Services, Reach-Effectiveness-Adoption-Implementation-Maintenance, Implementation/Facilitation) provided the framework to design and implement the training program. A total of 100 interdisciplinary mental health providers from outpatient mental health clinics participated. Results: Providers reported satisfaction with the training program. Results indicated that the training increased providers' TMH knowledge and competence. The number of providers using TMH and patients who received TMH nearly doubled. Conclusions: Implementation science methodology was important in creating an organizational framework at this facility to design, evaluate, and implement an innovative TMH training program.