Working with Alberta’s health regions and other partnering agencies, the Telemental Health Service (TMH) of the Alberta Mental Health Board (AMHB) supports the local delivery of mental health services in rural Alberta by:
- Improving patient access to mental health services in rural/under-serviced
communities
- Providing health care workers access to learning opportunities on mental health topics
- Conducting research and evaluation of telecommunications and novel technology for application in mental health care
TMH employs the latest telecommunications technologies to ensure these objectives are met. For example, psychiatric consultation via videoconferencing means clients from rural and under-serviced communities have direct access to consultation and treatment in a timely manner – without having to travel long distances to regional referral centres. TMH also enables healthcare professionals to access telelearning sessions on a wide variety of mental health topics.
The Telemental Health Service (TMH) of the Alberta Mental Health Board has been in operation since 1996. The service was initially developed as a pilot project offered in collaboration with four regional health authorities. Today Telemental health services are delivered province-wide. To date there are over 200 telehealth sites across Alberta in hospitals and community clinics, and university-based psychiatry departments.
Telelearning
The Telemental Health Service (TMH) telelearning enables continuing education for healthcare professionals on a variety of mental health issues and topics. Interactive sessions provide an opportunity for geographically isolated healthcare workers to access current resources and improve their clinical capacity. Participants benefit by accessing learning opportunities in their home community, while heath regions benefit from the increased clinical capacity of their workforce.
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Clinical Services
Rural general practitioners provide extensive mental health services with limited access to specialized psychiatric services. Through the use of videoconferencing technology, these practitioners have timely access to specialized psychiatric consultations. Geographic barriers are overcome in order to support continuity of care within an individual's home community.
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