Law & psychiatry: Telecourt: the use of videoconferencing for involuntary commitment hearings in academic health centers.
The use of videoconferencing for psychiatric involuntary commitment hearings is not a recent development. The courts ruled on the constitutionality of these proceedings as long ago as 1993. In 2004 University of Michigan Hospital began videoconferencing involuntary commitment hearings with Washtenaw County Probate Court. The experience of the University of Michigan Health System and the Washtenaw Probate Court with telecourt hearings for involuntary commitment has proven to benefit the safety and dignity of patients as well as the financial health of the medical center.
Price
Janis
J
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0120, USA. janprice@umich.edu
Sapci
Hasan
H
D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000191:economics; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013685:Telecommunications / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*