From health concerns to the stress of changed schedules, strained finances and missing out on favorite activities, everyone is facing challenges associated with coronavirus (COVID-19).
Dr. Cheryl Al-Mateen, medical director of our Virginia Treatment Center for Children provides a peek into what this may look like.
It’s really helpful for us to maintain a consistent and uninterrupted relationship with our patients. We want to make sure our kids don’t miss out on their mental health care, especially during a time when they may be facing some unusual and extra challenges. It’s also fun because in some cases we get to meet siblings and pets on camera, which may even help us understand a little more about our patients and their daily lives.
COVID-19 has disrupted everyone’s lives. It’s stressful when we can’t maintain normal routines – school, work, getting what we need at the grocery store, doing all the things we like to do. As humans, our thresholds for disruptions have decreased because nothing is the norm anymore. With these increased stressors, we want to check in on our patients and make sure we can continue helping them.
Our biggest hurdles are related to technology. Equipment doesn’t always work and internet is not consistent from one geographic area or home to another. If technological challenges prevent us from using a video platform, we have to connect with patients by phone and we lose the face-to-face interaction that is so important with mental health care. While challenges with technology are sometimes inevitable, it’s still critical to keep appointments. We are flexible and can make it work!
It can also be challenging to get all of the necessary paperwork completed. Not everyone has access to the tools necessary to print and return documentation from home.
It’s important for us to be flexible. We’re working with families to help them navigate their technology and download any applications they may need for appointments. We are also working on new electronic forms that will allow us to acquire all of the documentation needed for providing care.
Our providers have had to make some critical adjustments to our normal practices, particularly as it relates to managing emergency situations. When we’re seeing patients in the office, we can call on nurses and other professionals in the clinic for assistance as needed. Since we aren’t physically with our patients during telehealth appointments, we have a set of information and resources for our providers to have at our fingertips.
The answer to this question varies from one mental health discipline to another. Most appointments can be done via telehealth if the video component is functioning properly. We cannot do a psychiatry intake assessment by phone only. So much important information is conveyed in a face-to-face interaction, so if we’ve don’t have an established relationship with a patient and we can’t see their body language and non-verbal communication we’re not able to conduct an accurate assessment. In some cases there is testing or hands-on types of therapy that cannot be done virtually, but the vast majority of our appointments can be successfully conducted via telehealth.
Take a look at our telehealth resource page for more helpful information.
Aside from ironing out any issues with technology, it will be very similar to an in-person appointment. Parents may be asked to participate in the beginning or end, but the majority of the appointment will be focused on the child.
In addition to a tablet, phone or computer with a microphone and camera, it will be helpful for you to have the following information for your child:
These details will be important as the provider assesses symptoms and makes decisions regarding new or updated prescriptions.
Yes, patients typically see their regular providers except in emergency cases when the regular provider may not be available.
We are dedicated to your child’s health and safety and will do everything we can to provide them with the care they need. We are offering both telehealth and in-person appointments. You can schedule an appointment by calling (804) 828-3137.
If you do come in for an appointment, please keep in mind that we have updated visitation guidelines. You and your child will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and asked to wear a mask.