Home-Based Telemental Health: A Proposed Privacy and Safety Protocol and Tool

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services
• Digital Health
• Patient Safety

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid adoption of home-based telemental health (HB-TMH).
• Existing protocols and tools for safe HB-TMH delivery were insufficient.
• HB-TMH is expected to remain a key component of mental healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a standardized protocol and practical tool for safe HB-TMH.
• To address privacy and safety concerns in home-based telemental health.
• To create a resource for future crises and routine mental healthcare integration.

Main Methods:

• A consortium of child and adolescent psychiatrists reviewed existing safety standards and guidelines.
• Key domains identified were environmental safety, clinical safety, and disposition planning.
• The Privacy and Safety Protocol was operationalized into a Privacy and Safety Assessment Tool (PSA Tool), inspired by WHO surgical safety constructs.

Main Results:

• The developed Privacy and Safety Protocol and PSA Tool comprise four modules.
• Modules include screening, initial visit assessment, disposition planning, and reassessment during subsequent visits.
• A sample workflow is provided to guide implementation.

Conclusions:

• The Privacy and Safety Protocol and PSA Tool are designed to enhance provider preparedness for private and safe HB-TMH.
• The modular design allows adaptation to various site-specific resources.
• The PSA Tool aims to facilitate the integration of HB-TMH into routine mental healthcare.