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Nation’s Largest Telehealth Network Approved: California Telehealth Network (CTN)

The California Telehealth Network  Is Approved
Federal and state government and medical officials have officially announced the approval of the California Telehealth Network (CTN). It is the US’ largest effort to provide broadband-based specialty care in medically underserved rural and urban areas.

EHR on the Cloud?

Should Electronic Health Records be maintained on the cloud? Controversy is heating up.

A client-server model links clinicians to a single secure server computer that holds the records. Using the complex multiple geographically-distributed server configuration provided by a cloud vendor threatens greater risk of data "leakage" as noted in eWeek.com for August 17, 2010 ("10 Reasons Why It's a Bad Idea").

“Texting” with Mental Health Patients or Clients

Are you confused about what to do when a new patient “texts” you on your cell phone? Not sure what you need to document in your psychotherapy notes? What are your other legal requirements with respect to informed consent?

See this new article for related concerns, considerations and potential solutions. This article contains a discussion of 3 short vignettes about these and several more texting issues.

Please post your comment below!

Marlene M. Maheu, Ph.D.

What’s Your Mental Health Professional Association Doing to Support Responsible Internet-based Telehealth Practice?

Members of the American Telemedicine Association’s (ATA) telemedicine health special interest groups (SIG) have laudably published a number of “Best Practices” or “Guideline” documents, such such as for telemental health. These guidelines however, expressly exclude practice via the Internet.

Solo and independent practitioners face a different set of challenges than our institutional colleagues.

Mobile Apps: Their Impact on the Future of Counseling & Psychotherapy

Internet-based self-help information and tools are already far surpassing the number of people getting professional mental health services.

Why You Might Want to Attend the Upcoming ATA Convention, May 16-18, 2010

If you are still on the fence about attending the ATA convention, have a look at their program and exhibitor lists:

ATA 2010 Final Program Education Guide

What Can We Learn from this “Innovation” Video Re: the Psychology of Online Interactivity?

I recently ran across an eye-popping video about the future of technological innovation. Put your seatbelt on….

The video I’m referencing below starts by looking at what works to make Facebook games so successful.  It expands it the discussion to include video games, such as Mafia Wars and Farmville.  The professor in the video explains why he thinks the psychological factors underpinning those games have catapulted small websites into $300 million businesses in short periods of time.

Googling or Otherwise Searching for Information about Patients and Clients Online

Things rarely seem to be as clear as most of us would like when we look at professional issues online. Googling a prospective collaborator or colleague may be ok, but what about Googling a client or patient?

Avoiding the "Medical Model" for Online Counseling, Psychotherapy and Telemental Health

Over the last few months, I've unfortunately had the occasion to hear a number of online practitioners claim that they do not adhere to the "medical model" but rather believe in the " business model."  Somehow, these practitioners hold strong in the belief that online practice is not related to traditional practice in the brick-and-mortar world. This position could be hazardous.

In the words of one of California's most malpractice attorneys, Brandt Caudill, Jr., Esq.:

The Future of Healthcare Is Mobile?

With every passing day there seems to be more information surfacing about how healthcare is getting to be mobile. This is a link to a slide slide set posted in a Scottish website called "Scottish Healthcare: Improving Patient Care through Technology." The slide set was posted 3/30/2010, and is called MHealth: The Future of Health Is Mobile.

If you find similar information online about healthcare going mobile, please post it here for us all to share.

Thanks!