On November 11, Yashiro Kishimoto, a full-time lecturer at the Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Keio University School of Medicine, announced that it was the first clinical study in Japan to demonstrate the usefulness of telemedicine in the field of psychiatry in terms of both diagnosis and treatment. ..
Currently, the number of psychiatric patients is estimated to be more than 700 million nationwide, and it is said to be on the rise.On the other hand, there are many patients who have difficulty in receiving highly specialized diagnosis and treatment, such as when they are in a “withdrawal” state where it is difficult to go out and see a doctor due to aging, uneven distribution of doctors, or symptoms.
Videophones can be a way to solve these problems.It has come to be used in many situations as a business and general communication tool, and it can be said that psychiatric practice is an area where such technology can be easily applied.However, in order to actually introduce it, it is necessary to scientifically prove that the accuracy and treatment results of remote diagnosis are equal to or better than the usual face-to-face treatment.
The research group verified the usefulness of telemedicine in two situations, diagnosis and treatment, as the first attempt in Japan.
The research in the diagnostic scene was revised to a total of 60 people aged 30 and over, including Alzheimer's disease patients, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy people, using a video conference system that delivers high-definition, low-delay video and audio. The formula simple intelligence evaluation scale was carried out remotely.Comparing face-to-face and remote test scores proved a very high score concordance rate.
The research in the treatment scene is an attempt to connect the hospital and the patient's home using a communication method called a web conferencing system that uses a normal Internet line, and a doctor treats the patient at home.Three obsessive-compulsive patients participated in the psychotherapy to gradually get used to the subject of fear. All three had a certain therapeutic effect, and some patients had dramatic improvement in symptoms with telemedicine.
This time, because the research is focused on specific tests and treatment targets, it cannot be immediately expanded to psychiatric care in general.In the future, we will verify more patients in various medical situations and aim to contribute to the health of the people through telemedicine.
