MIRECC / CoE

Telehealth Consultation Service for Patients with Persistent Psychosis Now Available at Sites in VISN 16

Secure clinical video-telehealth consults from the National TeleMental Health Center TelePsychosis Service are now available to the Fayetteville, Arkansas, Houston, Texas and Jackson, Mississippi VA Medical Centers. The names of the consults in CPRS are:

• Fayetteville= Greater Los Angeles Telepsychosis IFC
• Houston= IFC NTMHC Telepsychosis GLA Outpt
• Jackson= Psychiatry Telepsychosis NTMHC GLA (under Interfacility Consults -> West Los Angeles)

Core components of the consultation program include:

• Extensive evaluation and assessment, including an in-depth medical record review, discussion with the treating clinician or prescriber, and secure clinical video-teleconference interview with the Veteran.
• Consults address differential diagnosis, prior treatments, and common medical-psychiatric comorbidities. Recommendations for additional therapeutic interventions provided.
• Up to 5 additional encounters with the Veteran to provide further recommendations as therapies are changed, and to assess and encourage the Veteran’s ongoing readiness for change in treatment.
• Ongoing collaboration with and support provided for the referring clinician regarding treatment.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis.

Clinicians can refer any Veteran for telepsychosis consultation, including:

• Veterans who are not fully responsive to treatment as evidenced by:
• Clinical problems, psychotic symptoms, or repeated hospitalizations
• Inadequate response to 2 or more antipsychotic medications
• Veterans with medication side-effects
• Veterans who are difficult to diagnose
• Veterans being treated in rural locations or at community-based outpatient clinics
• Clinicians with questions regarding clozapine or other treatments

For more information, contact Program Lead Dr. Alexander Young at Alexander.Young@va.gov.

Last updated: October 29, 2020