Mental Health Access in Southern Oklahoma Increases With Telemedicine

Patients at Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers of Southern Oklahoma’s clients in Ardmore, Ada and Durant now have greater access to psychiatric care through a new telemedicine agreement.

The agreement provides mental health physician services provided by Integris Mental Health in Oklahoma City. Charles Dukes provides the psychiatric services from his office at Integris Mental Health in Oklahoma City through the use of equipment funded by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The equipment allows him to see patients electronically, document their care, and write prescriptions at the various sites without traveling directly to the specific locations.

Integris Mental Health plans to offer the telemedicine services at all nine Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers of Southern Oklahoma sites within the next two years.

Ardmore-based Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers of Southern Oklahoma, organized in 1950, is a nonprofit organization providing mental health care and chemical dependency treatment to nine counties in south-central Oklahoma.

Originally published by Journal Record Staff.

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