Speaker Presentation from U.S. News Healthcare of Tomorrow leadership summit, Nov. 1-3, 2017 in Washington, DC. Find out more about this forum at www.usnewshot.com.

1. Sy Atezaz Saeed, MD, MS, FACPsych
Professor and Chairman
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Brody School of Medicine - East Carolina University
Director
North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP)
Using Telepsychiatry to Improve
Access to Evidence-Based Care

2. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Problems are Common
• About 20% of U.S. children and adolescents (15 million),
ages 9 to 17, have diagnosable psychiatric disorders1,2.
• NCS-A study reported 22% severe impairments of 13-18
year olds3.
• Only about 20% of emoJonally disturbed children and
adolescents receive some kind of mental health services1,2,
and only a small fracJon of them receive evaluaJon and
treatment by child and adolescent psychiatrists.
1. The Surgeon General, 1999
2. CDC 2013
3. Merikangas, et. al, 2010

3. 1. Data provided by the NaJonal InsJtute of Mental Health. www.nimh.nih.gov
2. Graphic by NAMI. hSps://www.nami.org/getaSachment/Learn-More/Mental-Health-by-the-Numbers/childrenmhfacts.pdf

4. hSps://www.aacap.org/aacap/Advocacy/Federal_and_State_IniJaJves/Workforce_Maps/Home.aspx. Accessed September 25, 2017

5. hSps://www.aacap.org/aacap/Advocacy/Federal_and_State_IniJaJves/Workforce_Maps/Home.aspx. Accessed September 25, 2017

6. Telepsychiatry is defined in the statute as the
delivery of acute mental health or substance
abuse care, including diagnosis or treatment, by
means of two-way real-time interactive audio and
video by a consulting provider at a consultant site
to an individual patient at a referring site.

7. • ↑access to mental health services
• ↓geographic health disparities
• ↑ consumer convenience
• ↓ professional isolation
• ↑ recruiting and retaining MH professionals in underserved
• Improved consumer compliance.
• Improved education of mental health professionals.
• Improved coordination of care across mental health system.
• Reduction of stigma associated with receiving mental health
services.

8. Consultee-Centered
Consultation
Client-Centered
Consultation
Collaborative-Care
Model
Direct Care Provided
by a Psychiatrist
Ongoing Care Coordinated by a
Midlevel Professional in Conjunction
with a Psychiatrist
Comprehensive Services Involving
a Team of Clinicians

9. This statewide program was developed in response to
Session Law 2013-360 directing the N.C. Department of
Health and Human Services' Office of Rural Health and
Community Care to "oversee and monitor establishment
and administration of a statewide telepsychiatry
program.” (G.S. 143B-139, 4B).
General Assembly of North Carolina Session 2013
Session Law 2013-360
Senate Bill 402

10. • 62 hospitals in the network
• 43 are “Live”
• 19 are in process (i.e. waiJng on credenJaling,
equipment, training, or portal)
• 27,644 total telepsychiatry assessments have been
conducted under the program since its incepJon
• less than 18 YO = 4,058
• greater than 18 YO = 23,586

12. ECU Child and Adolescent Telepsych Sites
• Washington
• Ahoskie
• Tarboro
• Outer Banks-Dare County
• Goldsboro
• Wilson
• Kinston
• Rocky Mount

13. • Telepsychiatry is a viable and reasonable opJon for
providing psychiatric care to those who are currently
underserved or who lack access to services.
• The current technology is adequate for most uses and
conJnues to advance.
• Numerous applicaJons have already been defined, and
more are ripe for exploraJon.

14. • Overcoming the barriers to implementaJon will
require a combinaJon of consumer, provider, and
governmental advocacy.
• The purpose and fit of telecare services in the wider
care system should drive its introducJon –not the
technology.
• InvesJng in a “connected network” should be the goal.
• It’s about relaJonships, not technology.

15. Sy Atezaz Saeed, M.D., M.S., FACPsych
Professor and Chairman
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Brody School of Medicine | East Carolina University
Director
North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP)
Phone: 252.744.2660 | e-mail: saeeds@ecu.edu | Website:
http://www.ecu.edu/psychiatry
Mail: Brody School of Medicine, 600 Moye Boulevard, Suite 4E-100, Greenville, NC
27834
Contact