Telepsychology Practice: Primer and First Steps

Telepsychology is being increasingly assimilated into professional practice. The knowledge and skills necessary for competent practice are being introduced into training programs; however, psychologists who are practicing independently have no formal means to prepare for this expansion in their scope of practice. This primer for practice leads readers through the clinical, technical, and logistical steps necessary for preparation, initiation, and participation in telepsychology. Topics discussed include overcoming barriers and increasing one's opportunities (e.g., geographical, financial, transportation); competencies, standards of care, and ethical considerations (e.g., adaptation of informed consent and confidentiality agreements, electronic recordkeeping and storage); what one needs to know for implementation (e.g., Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act); interjurisdictional practice (e.g., legal status); action steps; and resources. Psychologists beginning to incorporate technology into their practices as well as those with technical competence will note several features that lend guidance to the basic elements of practice: (a) Risk management tips are offered throughout the article, (b) an informed consent checklist for self-assessment is presented, and (c) a checklist for hardware disposal and software removal is detailed. Practitioners who are curious about telepsychology but do not know how to inquire or where to begin are offered clear direction and important information on how to incorporate telepsychology into existing practices or to begin a purely telepsychological practice. Clinical Impact Statement This article is focused on the population of practitioners who have primarily engaged in traditional in-person service and realizes telepsychology can impact their practices but are not equipped to participate without foundational information. That information is presented here in a stepwise, practical manner that explains application and implementation, which contributes to increased competency of the practitioners.