About The Telepsychiatry Service
In 1994, the South Australian Health Commission (SAHC) pioneered Australia's first telepsychiatry service based at Adelaide's Glenside Hospital. This involved Adelaide based psychiatrists routinely delivering psychiatric services, via live, two-way interactive, electronic communication. Currently 83 videoconferencing units can be accessed by 67 South Australian rural and remote communities.
This Service was established in October 1995 as a result of a 2 year project that successfully demonstrated the benefits of distance health care using video conferencing. With the trials and projects behind us, telepsychiatry has become accepted as a mainstream service delivery tool. The Telepsychiatry Service is now a part of the Rural and Remote Mental Health Service of South Australia, currently located at Glenside Hospital Campus of the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Telepsychiatry is an integral part of a comprehensive model of clinical service delivery that also includes a 24hr 7 day per week telephone psychiatric emergency, triage, liaison service, specialist inpatient units and a number of visiting psychiatrists.
This Service is one of only a handful in the world and has been involved in many local and international conferences to share our experiences in both clinical and operational issues unique to this medium. Information relating to the history and issues this unit has faced, in implementing Australia's first Telepsychiatry service, have been documented in a publication "The evolution of telepsychiatry" available for purchase at $20 AUD.
Disclaimer
| Copyright © Government of South Australia 1998.