Telepsychiatry in Denmark

Abstract

Background and aims:

It is no secret that mental health system in Denmark did face (and still does) significant barriers in providing appropriate psychiatric care towards refugees/immigrants on their own language. Limited access to clinicians that speak their language decrease speed and accuracy of diagnosis and treatment. In this situation, patients receive sub optimal psychiatric care (provided via translators) that furthermore affect their compliance and make treatment more difficult and expensive.

Methods:

One solution to this problem is to give refugees/immigrants access to ethnic specialists by using telepsychiatry (videoconference in real time).

5 stations have been established during this pioneer project in period 2004-2007. The equipment connect three hospitals, one asylum seekers centre and one social institution for rehabilitation of refugees/migrants.Participants involved in the project are mentally ill refugees/immigrants. Clinicians involved in the project have ethnic background that make possible to assess and/or treat refugees/migrants on their own language, without using translators.

Results:

By using the videoconference, it was possible to make reliable aassessment and/or treatment of a wide variety of psychiatric disorders. All participants answered questionnaire after the end of telepsychiatric contact. They all reported a high acceptance and satisfaction with telepsychiatry regardless their ethnicity or educational level. Furthermore, all participants would prefer contact via telepsychiatry then via translator. Reduced transport – and translator expenses presented economic benefits of the method.

Conclusions:

Telepsychiatry can be the tool of choice when limited access to mental health professionals makes assessment and/or treatment difficult and often insufficient.