Detailed contribution information
| Contribution title | 3290 - eCAP: Video Conferencing for Child Psychiatric Consultations, Supervision and Support for Treatment in Peripheral Areas |
|---|---|
| Contribution code | PS03-53 (P) |
| Authors | |
| Form of presentation | Poster |
| Topic |
|
| Abstract |
Objectives Early detection and timely interventions are prerequisites for effective treatment of child psychiatric problems, which calls for multi-professional collaboration and interaction between primary and secondary healthcare. Northern peripheral areas face challenges like low population density and long distances, which hamper efficient provision of child psychiatric services. New ways to exploit the scarce resources are needed. The “eHealth Services for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (eCAP), 2015-2018” project seeks to improve child psychiatric services in remote, sparsely populated areas by developing internet based tools. Methods The Department of Child Psychiatry at the Kuopio University Hospital (Finland) will adopt an online booking system, allowing the primary healthcare professionals to easily book a video conference (VC) with specialists in child psychiatry. In tandem, online forms gathering background information about the child’s situation will be forwarded to the parents, teacher and the child. The VCs will serve for consultation, supervision or follow-up of care. The browser-based solution can be used on any computer, laptop, table or smartphone with internet access and audio-visual accessories. After the 18-month pilot phase the intervention will be evaluated based on log data and user experiences gathered in surveys and interviews. Results As a result, the quality, availability and cost-effectiveness of child psychiatric services in the region will improve: flexible consultation, outpatient services and care based on best practices will be available more timely and equally than before. Increased co-operation supports preventive work, early identification and treatment of psychiatric problems, and optimizes resource use. Developmental environments (school, daycare) can be better involved in the treatment process, and decreased travel needs allow more time for family activities supporting recovery. Conclusion Providing sufficient, timely child psychiatric services is a global challenge, to which internet based interventions offer one solution. The experiences from the eCAP project in Finland can be useful also to other fields, regions and countries. Alongside with technology the human factors are crucial: integrating new services and operational models smoothly into daily practice requires acceptance and competences among the professionals, making education and training to all involved parties vital for introducing a sustainable change. |