Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association
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The significant gap between children and adolescents presenting for emergency mental healthcare and the shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists constitutes a major barrier to timely access for psychiatric assessment for rural and remote areas. Unlike remote areas, urban emergency departments have in-house psychiatric consultation. Telepsychiatry may be a solution to ensure the same service for remote areas. However, there is a paucity of studies on the use of telepsychiatry for child and adolescent emergency consults. Thus, the aim of our study was to (1) assess patient satisfaction with telepsychiatry and (2) compare clinical characteristics and outcome of telepsychiatry with face-to-face emergency child and adolescent assessments. ⋯ Telepsychiatry is acceptable to patients and families for safe emergency assessment and follow-up, reducing unnecessary travel to urban centers. Longer time outcomes are needed to establish validity of telepsychiatry for emergency assessments.