Technology means more mental health patients can access treatment: doc

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Finding a family doctor is no easy task for most people, and the same goes for those seeking treatment for mental illness.

A psychiatrist says new technology that allows patients and doctors to get together without physically meeting means more people are receiving treatment.

Some people in rural areas don’t have local treatment options. Others are hesitant to see a counsellor.

Dr. Matthew Chow says those people would benefit from companies like Medeo, which allow screen-to-screen appointments.

“It’s very difficult for people to take that first step when they’re seeking help to come in the doors of a clinic or hospital to seek that important help. So, what happens with something like Medeo… is you take a lot of that stigma away because I’m able to see patients in the comfort of their own home or at their school or place of work.”

“We can do almost anything we want on the Internet now. We can order groceries to our door. It’s always been shocking to me how far healthcare has lagged behind,” he notes.

Chow adds he’s seeing more patients across the board who are embracing the new technology. “Once you start having a platform like Medeo, you start to show the true potential of what the Internet and electronic medium can do for health care, so it’s been really exciting to participate.”

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