Ethics in Telepsychiatry

This article reviews contemporary issues in telepsychiatry and telepsychotherapy. The authors examine ethics within a larger social context, particularly access to care and cost of care. They consider the evolving scientific validation of telepsychiatry and the ethical significance of telepsychiatry in various practice settings. They also focus on the doctor-patient relationship, assessments, and provision of psychiatric treatments such as medication management and psychotherapy. The authors consider concerns about malpractice liability and medicolegal constraints on telepsychiatry. They do not address artificial intelligence in virtual mental health care, nor online communications outside the clinical encounter (eg, social media, email).