Intérêt de la télé-psychiatrie pour la prise en charge des patients : enjeux et questions d’une pratique nouvelle

Abstract: Objectives: Telemedicine grows differently among the different specialties. Tele-psychiatry, one of the earliest applications of telemedicine, is struggling to find its full place in patient care, and is often seen only as a geographical distances stopgap. The main objective of this paper is to summarize the stakes of this new practice and to put some answers to the question of its place in our current practices. Materials and methods: Literature review focused on patient satisfaction and comparison with the practice of face-to-face. Review of international recommendations on the practice of tele-psychiatry. Reminder of its ethical, professional and legal framework in France. Results: The use of video-consultation appears to improve access to care, may serve to promote patient education, to avoid unnecessary travel to the patient or therapist. Patient satisfaction appears identical to the face-to-face practice. Conclusions: Tele-psychiatry, used and disclosed appropriately, can greatly contribute to improve care in numerous fields: consultation-liaison psychiatry, accessibility to overspecialised consultations, continuing education of physicians. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]