The Telepsychiatry Program at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital offers virtual mental health services through Pennsylvania agencies.
We provide real-time audio/video-based psychiatric:
Most telepsychiatry appointments take place at a local behavioral health center near the patient's home. In some cases, patients may connect virtually from home.
Doctors connect virtually to the patient from their office.
Video-teleconferencing equipment will be present on both ends — most likely a desktop or laptop. These devices connect using the Vidyo platform.
Vidyo adheres to state-of-the-art security and encryption and is HIPAA compliant. The Telepsychiatry Program does not support video recording or store data with Vidyo.
Staff at the local center handles all equipment set-up and connectivity for the patient. A medical professional — often a masters-level clinician — will be present in the room with the patient.
Technical support staff is on hand at both sites if there are any issues with the equipment.
