In July 2020, experts participated in individual semi-structured qualitative interviews about how tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is diagnosed and treated in real-world settings. A virtual roundtable follow-up was conducted in November 2020 to discuss the findings, and provide insight and feedback on the results of the individual interviews.
Overall, the panel agreed that telepsychiatry offers benefits and opportunities to both patients, such as reduced time and easier access, and clinicians had fewer missed appointments and the ability to see patients in their own environments.
However, the panel also agreed that virtual visits cannot completely replace in-person visits. Most new patients may require an in-person evaluation to diagnose TD among other differential diagnoses. The panel noted that video is preferable and often necessary in this patient population.
Key challenges for telepsychiatry expressed by the interview participants included technology issues and adequacy, the need for more time to assess patients virtually, and the ability to observe a patient’s entire body for abnormal movements
The following recommendations were made, as telepsychiatry inevitably will continue in some form. The suggested best practices include:
- Ensure patients have access to adequate equipment
- Educate patients on how to prepare their environment and video for assessment.
- Conduct medical history and clinical review similarly to in-person visits.
- Instruct patients to walk around while someone else holds the camera.
- Demonstrate the type of movement that they would like the patient to try in a semi-structured but consistent manner to gauge movements over time.
- Schedule a follow-up in-person appointment if movements aren’t clear.
Panel members conclude that clinicians can use telepsychiatry as an opportunity to ask patients and caregivers about their condition and quality of life as well as an opportunity to educate both about TD and FDA-approved treatment options (eg, valbenazine).
Poster Session 12 Monday, May 03 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/meetings/annual-meeting
