The Telepsychiatry Advantage

Orbit Health
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Mental Health

The Telepsychiatry Advantage is a podcast for clinicians who want a clear, practical understanding of how telepsychiatry actually works. As more care moves online, the show breaks down the real considerations behind it—who it works for, where it doesn’t, how to handle risk, what regulations matter, and how to deliver care effectively through a screen. Each episode focuses on what you need to know to make better decisions and avoid common mistakes in a rapidly changing environment. Your host is Dr. Edward Kaftarian, the founder of Orbit Health, the longest-running telepsychiatry company in the world. He received his psychiatry training at the renowned Johns Hopkins University and holds board certifications in Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine.

  1. Aug 13

    Telepsychiatry For Psychotic Patients: What The Evidence Shows

    A common objection to telepsychiatry is that it simply doesn’t work for patients with psychosis. The concern was that patients might feel paranoid on camera, refuse to engage, or become more symptomatic because the visit was happening through a screen.  But is that actually what the evidence shows? Not even close.  In this episode of The Telepsychiatry Advantage, Dr. Edward Kaftarian looks at the research behind telepsychiatry for patients with psychosis and schizophrenia, and explains why clinicians should be careful not to rule out virtual care based on flat-out wrong assumptions. The episode also gets into the practical side of treating psychotic patients through telepsychiatry: how to respond when a patient is uncomfortable, why access sometimes matters more than a perfect setup, and why the doctor-patient relationship still matters more than the camera. For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at:  https://www.orbithealth.com/ Research articles referenced in the video: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4132656/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23428781/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3101132/ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1744-859X-10-14 https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e59540/authors https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28550756/ https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.177901

  2. Aug 6

    How to Make Telepsychiatry Work For Elderly Patients

    The elderly population in America has nearly doubled since 1960, and by 2030, about 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 or older. That means more elderly patients are going to need mental health care. But the number of geriatric psychiatrists is not growing fast enough to meet that demand. So whether a clinician specializes in geriatrics or not, they are going to see more elderly patients — in assisted living, nursing facilities, emergency departments, and at home. In this episode of The Telepsychiatry Advantage, Dr. Edward Kaftarian explains why telepsychiatry can help close that gap BUT only if clinicians understand how to make it work for older adults. Elderly patients may not be digital natives. They may get frustrated with technology faster. They may need simpler questions, a slower pace, more pauses, clearer routines, and a visit that feels easy to follow from the start. That is the essence of this episode: how clinicians can remove the barriers that make virtual care harder for elderly patients and create a telepsychiatry visit that feels clear, calm, and accessible. For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at: https://www.orbithealth.com/

  3. Jul 30

    How To Choose the Right Telepsychiatry Company to Join

    Choosing a telepsychiatry company to join is a major decision. Pick something that's not a good fit, and now you have some real problems.  The issue is, it's often hard to know. The company might look good on paper, but once you are inside, the red flags can start showing up fast: poor support, bad partners, rigid schedules, unfair contracts, high turnover, or a company that treats clinicians like a commodity instead of part of a team. In this episode of The Telepsychiatry Advantage, Dr. Edward Kaftarian breaks down what psychiatrists and mental health clinicians should look for before joining a telepsychiatry company — and what warning signs should make them ask more questions before signing on. For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at: https://www.orbithealth.com/

  4. Jul 22

    The Traits of Best-In-Class Telepsychiatrists

    What separates a good telepsychiatrist from a best-in-class one? It is not just credentials, experience, or being comfortable on video. The best clinicians know how to make patients feel heard through a screen, how to stay steady when the appointment gets complicated, and how to bring the same professionalism to virtual care that they would bring to any clinical setting. In this episode of The Telepsychiatry Advantage, Dr. Edward Kaftarian explains about what “best-in-class” really means in telepsychiatry—and why the strongest clinicians are not just technically skilled, but thoughtful, prepared, and easy to trust. Because great telepsychiatry is not just about showing up online, it's also about raising the standard of care once you are there. For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at: https://www.orbithealth.com/

  5. Jul 2

    How To Completely Ruin a Telepsychiatry Appointment

    Want to make sure a patient never wants to book a telepsychiatry appointment with you again? Then this episode of The Telepsychiatry Advantage is for you. Dr. Edward Kaftarian walks through what the worst version of a virtual psychiatry visit looks like — the kind that makes patients feel ignored, uncomfortable, distracted, or unsure if the clinician is even present with them. It’s a fun look at how telepsychiatry can go wrong, but the point underneath is serious. The virtual environment is your clinic, and the way a clinician shows up on camera can either support the therapeutic alliance or ruin it before the real clinical work even begins. For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at: https://www.orbithealth.com/

  6. Jun 24

    5 Biggest Mistakes Telepsychiatrists Make That Hurt Patient Care

    Telepsychiatry gives clinicians more flexibility to meet patients where they are. But that flexibility can also create more room for small mistakes that quietly hurt the relationship with the patient. Poor eye contact, a noisy or unprofessional setting, delayed documentation — unfortunately, mistakes like these happen too often in virtual care. And while they may seem minor in the moment, they can make patients feel less heard, less protected, or less confident in the care they are receiving. In this episode of The Telepsychiatry Advantage, Dr. Edward Kaftarian breaks down five of the biggest mistakes telepsychiatrists make that get in the way of delivering great care — and what clinicians should do instead. For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at:  https://www.orbithealth.com/

  7. Jun 18

    Ryan Haight Act: How New DEA Rules Could Impact Telepsychiatry (Part 4)

    Prescribing controlled substances through telepsychiatry requires more than knowing the law. It requires knowing how to evaluate risk, read what is happening on camera, and maintain the same clinical standard you would bring to an in-person visit. In this episode of The Telepsychiatry Advantage—and part 3 of our Ryan Haight Act series—Dr. Edward Kaftarian explains why the screen does not lower the bar, especially when it comes to medications with safety risks, abuse potential, or diversion concerns. The episode gets into what clinicians should be watching for during a video visit—signs of intoxication, withdrawal, sedation, cognitive slowing, inconsistent stories, early refill requests, and other red flags that may change how you prescribe or monitor. Dr. Kaftarian also discusses the role of PDMP checks, collateral information, drug screens, documentation, and functional outcomes when deciding whether a controlled medication is truly helping the patient. For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at: https://www.orbithealth.com/

  8. Jun 11

    Ryan Haight Act: How To Safely Prescribe Controlled Substances in Telepsychiatry (Part 3)

    Prescribing controlled substances through telepsychiatry requires more than knowing the law. It requires knowing how to evaluate risk, read what is happening on camera, and maintain the same clinical standard you would bring to an in-person visit. In this episode of The Telepsychiatry Advantage—and part 3 of our Ryan Haight Act series—Dr. Edward Kaftarian explains why the screen does not lower the bar, especially when it comes to medications with safety risks, abuse potential, or diversion concerns. The episode gets into what clinicians should be watching for during a video visit—signs of intoxication, withdrawal, sedation, cognitive slowing, inconsistent stories, early refill requests, and other red flags that may change how you prescribe or monitor. Dr. Kaftarian also discusses the role of PDMP checks, collateral information, drug screens, documentation, and functional outcomes when deciding whether a controlled medication is truly helping the patient. For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at: https://www.orbithealth.com/

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5
out of 5
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About

The Telepsychiatry Advantage is a podcast for clinicians who want a clear, practical understanding of how telepsychiatry actually works. As more care moves online, the show breaks down the real considerations behind it—who it works for, where it doesn’t, how to handle risk, what regulations matter, and how to deliver care effectively through a screen. Each episode focuses on what you need to know to make better decisions and avoid common mistakes in a rapidly changing environment. Your host is Dr. Edward Kaftarian, the founder of Orbit Health, the longest-running telepsychiatry company in the world. He received his psychiatry training at the renowned Johns Hopkins University and holds board certifications in Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine.

Information

  • Creator
    Orbit Health
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Telepsychiatry Advantage
  • Show Website
    The Telepsychiatry Advantage

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