MME introduces telemedicine to treat mentally ill
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RONAN — At first, the flat screen television delivering telemedicine to patients served by Mission Mountain Enterprises elicits some unusual reactions.
One patient lifts his shirt to see his belly displayed back to him on the screen. Paranoia sets in for another, and the staff must attempt to calm him.
But no matter how you view it, for people in need of psychiatric help at MME, the screen serves as immediate access to the assistance they need — when they need it.
“As time goes on, people that we serve become more and more complicated,” MME CEO Brodie Moll explained, noting that it’s unclear if these are symptoms of an unwell society, or if caregivers have become more observant in identifying the needs of the mentally ill.
But either way, mentally ill people at MME are in need of psychiatric help — which is often hard to come by.
“Historically, if there is a shortage of psychiatrists, they will take people with insurance,” Moll adds. “But a person with developmental disabilities is hard. Because of the nature of their condition, they can’t communicate that well.”
With communication hindrances, it may take twice as long for a doctor to do an assessment.
In an effort to address the complicated issue, MME has teamed up with a similar community non-profit out of Anaconda, called AWARE. AWARE has psychiatrists on staff to treat the mental illnesses of the developmentally delayed people they serve. And after the psychiatrists’ initial assessment this summer, Moll seems to think the treatment is making a difference.
“I think it’s better now than any other service. In this day and age this is the next best thing (to clinical visits) and maybe it’s just as good,” Moll said.
Moll explained that because of the rural location of MME, communication issues, the patients, predominantly insured by Medicaid, often don’t receive psychiatric assistance they require.
“The reality is, the only access to a mental health is the Mental Health Center, and there’s a waiting list,” Moll said, noting that Ronan’s Mental Health Center is one of the best in the state.
The initial psychiatric assessment was partially funded by a Greater Polson Community grant for $1,500. MME matched the grant, raising a total of $3000 for the physician’s visit in June. During the visit, the psychiatrist prescribed medications for diseases ranging from depression to bipolar disorder — prescriptions that he will continue to tweak via telemedicine technology.
“The diagnostic processes and abilities of a psychiatrist is so great,” Moll said. “So if you really resolve these problems with medications, these people are going to be able to live a more stable, happier and better quality of life.”
Moll explained that besides eliminating a good portion of travel expenses, the telemedicine program may improve employee turnover at MME, as many mentally ill patients act out as a result of their mental illness.
But, overall telemedicine may be the next best step in treating an underserved, high-need local population.
“The idea is that hopefully we can get people stabilized and continue on the cycle,” Moll said.
