773 – “Dear Child has Many Names”

Abstract

Telemedicine became a mutual part of daily work for colleagues within variety of medical specialties. However, mental health care professionals were a bit slower in acceptance and practice of care provision on distance.

It seems that it is about time to define the terms that often are in use interchangeably, but in fact are not synonymous. It is necessary to operate with common accepted terminology in order to avoid misunderstandings that might lead to lack in potential collaboration which eventually may affect mental health care provision.

That is why it is important to make an overview of various terms, such as i.e. Internet, world wide web, e-health, e-therapy, online counselling, Internet-based therapy, telemental health, e-mental health etc. A brief timeline highlighting some of the major occurrences over the past 50 years that have shaped the Internet of today, will be presented aside with challenges and limitations of the technology.