EDITORIAL: Growing use of telemedicine helps Oklahoma deliver mental health care
Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City)Aug 01, 2014
However, the
There are many reasons to provide mental health services wherever and however possible. The state ranks No. 2 nationally in the number of its residents who suffer from mental illness. According to the ODMHSAS, mental disorders are the third-leading cause of chronic disease in
Videoconferencing is particularly useful in rural parts of the state, where doctor shortages tend to be more acute than they are in urban areas. And it's making an impact.
OMDHSAS says it has more than 500 licensed users on the TeleHealth Network. In fiscal year 2012, about 26,000 Oklahomans received mental health or substance abuse help via the network. In FY 2013, the number was 33,840, an increase of 28 percent. The agency says it saved
In a recent article about the growing use of videoconferencing by states, stateline.org pointed out that the supply of psychiatrists is expected to dwindle in the years ahead because more are retiring than are coming into the field. "Access to psychiatric input remains a crisis across the country," said
White put it this way in her presentation to lawmakers: "Our future is telehealth. It is working to meet the needs of the people of
This state faces tremendous challenges in the area of mental health. Matching the demand for help with an adequate supply of providers may never happen, given the size of the chasm that exists today. But the Oklahoma TeleHealth Network is making inroads. Any gains, even gradual ones, are worth noting and encouraging.
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