Texas A&M telehealth services hold potential to slow COVID-19 spread.

With the restrictions the COVID-19 pandemic is placing on people who may be infected, the medical and mental health fields are searching for creative solutions to care for patients while protecting communities from widespread exposure, said Carly McCord, director of Telebehavioral Care at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center.

McCord, a clinical assistant professor in the College of Medicine and College of Education & Human Development, said telehealth and telebehavioral health are already seen as solutions to some of the barriers to patient care specific to the new coronavirus.

“Telehealth has always been a great option, but COVID-19 is now forcing the option for a lot of providers across the nation,” said Katie Console, program coordinator at Texas A&M Telebehavioral Care, and counseling doctoral psychology student in the College of Education & Human Development. “Everyone is now asking the question if health care and society as a whole are ready for a potential viral outbreak of this scale.”

This model mitigates the potential health care barriers of distance, lack of transportation, cost and a lack of providers. It works especially well for chronic disease management, both physical and mental.

“Right now, we have seen a surge of health care providers seeking to add the telehealth model to their practice. We recommend they first consider proper training and learn best practices to provide the best high-quality services possible to their patients,” McCord said. “Providers should not rush into the telehealth model without the proper supports. We offer online trainings and resources to help.”

Telehealth is an option that can also protect health care providers.

If a health care provider is believed to be exposed to COVID-19 while treating a patient, they are required to self-quarantine. Those providers are unable to see patients in-person until they are proven not to have the virus, compounding the problems of an already strained health care system. Similarly, patients may feel hesitant to seek help due to the fear of spreading the virus to their communities.

Officials advise those who believe they may have the virus to call ahead to their health care providers to limit contact with others in waiting rooms. Telehealth and telebehavioral care could take these precautions to the next level.

McCord and the rest of the Texas A&M Health Telebehavioral Care program provide grant-funded telehealth counseling to underserved residents across Texas. The clinic also sells time blocks to organizations across the state, including institutions like the Washington County jail, so they can offer mental health services “in-house.”

Texas A&M has led the movement toward telehealth through programs like this and the Center for Excellence in Forensic Nursing, a program designed to develop and implement a telehealth program to bring forensic nurse expertise to areas that don’t have it.

“Telehealth is a great option for care all the time, and this outbreak is no different,” McCord said. “We encourage the adoption of telehealth services, as the model has proven effective time and time again as providers take the necessary preparation steps for high-quality care.”

Fearless on every front

A community of scholars driven to create positive impacts around the world, Texas A&M University embraces determination, innovation, and creativity.

Texas A&M is one of the largest research universities in the United States and is one of only 17 institutions in the nation to hold the triple designation as a land-, sea-, and space-grant university. Our faculty researchers generated more than $952 million in research expenditures in FY 2019, all while enhancing undergraduate and graduate education through hands-on research experiences.

For more information about Telebehavioral Health at Texas A&M College of Medicine, contact Dr. Carly McCord.