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Telemedicine Can Reduce Prison Healthcare Costs: Reaching Out to the Underserved

With Telemedicine Solutions Readily Available to Medical Providers, the Timing Couldn’t Be Better for Telepsychiatry to Be Introduced to Rural Communities’ Correctional Facilities

COLD SPRING, NY–(Marketwired – Oct 21, 2014) – Across the U.S., many rural jails and prisons either have no mental health services for affected patients or they rely on the limited community mental health agencies for treatment of imprisoned patients with mental illnesses or addiction. CloudVisit Telemedicine offers telepsychiatry solutions to introduce telemedicine in prison that are specially designed to help practitioners safely and securely address those patients’ needs, while saving money.
“Correctional Telemedicine is a segment of remote communities that is underserved, creating an open field for practitioners,” says Daniel Gilbert, president and CEO of CloudVisit Telemedicine. “Our platform provides full HIPAA compliance with encrypted online video sessions that allow remote providers to care for incarcerated mental health patients. Through the use of telepsychiatry software, providers don’t have to travel to extend their reach to treat these individuals, making more time for quality treatment.”

Telepsychiatry with CloudVisit: A triple-win solution

There are correctional institutions in over 1,500 U.S. rural counties with no on-site mental health caregivers. With CloudVisit Institution, a telemedicine solution designed for in-patient treatment, providers, prisoners, and correctional facilities all benefit from online video sessions. Services provided to prisoners have been shown to result in decreased violent incidents such as fights and assaults. Prisons that employ telepsychiatry services also have lower recidivism rates.
Not only does telepsychiatry help with the treatment of prison inmates with mental health concerns, online therapy eliminates costly travel expenses for providers who make in-facility visits. Studies also show that telepsychiatry can save prisons up to $1 million or more by eliminating the costs of transporting inmates to external facilities for treatment and the expense of additional security measures to ensure community safety.
“The money saved through telepsychiatry, means prison facilities, and the local and federal governments that fund them will continue to become more interested in using telemedicine for patients with mental health issues,” explains Gilbert. “What it gives providers is the opportunity to enlarge their practices and boost their income while providing help to those who have few or no other resources to rely upon for mental health treatment.”

Before You Start, Know the HIPAA Rules.

In early 2013, additional HIPAA regulations were implemented that posed stricter limitations on telemedicine visits. You will need to choose a telepsychiatry partner carefully — one who meets all of the nearly two-year-old changes set out by the Department of Health and Human Services. The regulations set out a broad array of obligations to ensure providers maintain strict patient privacy when providing web-based consultations to clients. Under HIPAA’s 2013 regulations, you must use a HIPAA-compliant partner, such as CloudVisit Telemedicine, when providing telepsychiatry services.
“We are available to help get started using telepsychiatry. We are readily available to you through all the steps that will enable you to set up your telepsychiatric practice and hit the ground running,” says Gilbert. “Your success is our success.”
To learn more about CloudVisit Telemedicine and CloudVisit Institution for inpatient treatment go to www.cloudvisit.com or call 845-809-5770 to talk to a telemedicine specialist.