The Round Valley Indian Health Center has been providing psychiatric health services since July of 2003. This new specialty is provided using video conferencing technology. Patients are able to have a specialty psychiatric visit with a provider located at the U.C. Davis Medical Center, over 200 miles away. The visit takes place in "real time". The patient is able to speak face-to-face with the specialist as if they were in the room live.

There are two aspects to this kind of visit that lead to enhanced patient care. First, the Health Center provider is always included in the last 15 minutes of the visit. This insures that the local provider, the specialist and the patient are all in collaboration when it comes to a care plan. Secondly, local providers have peer support from the specialist. Not only are Health Center physicians and nurse practioners learning from each visit, they have access to the specialist for consults any time. This leaves providers feeling less isolated in their practice.

The Health Center is the lead agency for Telemedicine services for the California Area, Indian Health Service. The Health Center is currently working with five other Indian health clinics to bring psychiatric services to these sites.

For a psychiatry appointment you will first need to see your Health Center primary care physician.