Teaching telepsychiatry skills: building on the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance mental health care in the future

Abstract

COVID-19 has accelerated the use of telehealth and technology in mental health care, creating new avenues to increase both access to and quality of care. As video visits, synchronous telehealth, become more routine the field is now on the verge of embracing asynchronous telehealth with the potential to radically transform mental health. But sustaining the use of basic synchronous telehealth let alone embracing asynchronous telehealth requires new and immediate effort. Programs to increase digital literacy and competencies among both clinicians and patients are now critical to ensure all parties have the knowledge, confidence, and ability to equitably and actually benefit from emerging innovations. This editorial outlines the immediate potential as well as concrete steps towards realizing this potential of a new, more personalized, and scalable mental health system.