Rapid Conversion of an Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic to a 100% Virtual Telepsychiatry Clinic in Response to COVID-19

Abstract

In anticipation of a surge of COVID-19 cases in Northern California, the outpatient psychiatric clinic at UC Davis Health, in which 98% of visits initially occurred in person, was converted to a telepsychiatry clinic, with all visits changed to virtual appointments within 3 business days. The clinic had 73 virtual appointments on its first day after full conversion. This column describes the process, challenges, and lessons learned from this rapid conversion. Patients were generally grateful, providers learned rapidly how to work from home, and the clinic remained financially viable with no immediate losses.

Keywords: COVID-19; Information Technology; Outpatient Psychiatry; Pandemic; Telemedicine; Telepsychiatry.