The virtual psychiatry unit allows patients to receive hospital-level psychiatric interventions, safely and conveniently, from the comfort of their own home.
Using a combination of remote patient monitoring and home visits, the unit’s multidisciplinary health care team aims to prevent hospital admissions, and allow for earlier supported discharges from traditional inpatient psychiatry units.
Care is provided to patients through use of innovative technologies, such as iPads for virtual video visits, and remote patient monitoring devices for vital sign readings.
Patients have access to:
- 24-hour nursing support and monitoring
- Regular psychiatry assessments
- Collaborative care planning with an interdisciplinary team
- While receiving hospital intervention from their home, patients have the ability to continue with their day-to-day activities, while focusing on their recovery goals.
Access
Eligibility
Patients must be assessed by a physician to be appropriate for the service, and must also:
- Be age 18 +
- Voluntarily agree to participate in the Virtual Psychiatry Unit
- Have a safe home environment and privacy for virtual visits
Referral
Individuals are usually referred by emergency department staff, or as an inpatient from another department within the acute care site.