TREATING HIS PATIENTS DURING THE
COVID-19 TIME.
>> THIS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR TO
US CONDUCT THE SESSION AND DO IT
REMOTELY.
>> DR. WILLIAMS IS A UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN COMPREHENSIVE
DEPRESSION CENTER THERAPIST.
WHEN THE PANDEMIC AROSE AND THE
SHUTDOWN STARTED IN MICHIGAN, HE
NEEDED TO SWITCH FROM SEEING
PATIENTS IN PERSON.
>> IF WE WERE IN THE AUDIENCE
YOU HAD TO HAVE A MASK ON.
I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A MASK ON.
>> HE STARTED SEEING THEM
VIRTUALLY VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE.
IT IS LIKE YOU AND I TALKING
RIGHT NOW.
WE’RE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER E
WE’RE DISCUSSING ISSUES.
THIS IS WHAT I DO ALL THE TIME.
AND SO IT’S AMAZING.
>> THE TECHNOLOGY EVEN ALLOWS
HIM TO SHARE HIS MEDICAL
DESCRIPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
THROUGH SCREEN SHARE.
>> AND I MAY DRAW SOMETHING LIKE
THIS JUST TO SHOW THEM WHAT
HAPPENS IN THE BRAIN WHEN THE
PATIENT IS HAVING NOTHING BUT
NEGATIVE THOUGHTS.
>> Reporter: DR. WILLIAMS DID
NOT MISS A BEAT.
THAT WAS A SURPRISE TO THE
PATIENTS.
>> HERE IS THE LINK.
I SAID I DIDN’T KNOW WERE YOU
DOING THIS.
THIS IS AWESOME.
>> THERE IS A CONCERN FOR
PATIENTS IF THERE IS A BREAK IN
TREATMENT FOR ANY REASON.
>> WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS THAT THEY
START GOING BACK OLD BEHAVIOR
THAT CAUSE THEM A LOT OF
PROBLEMS.
>> CONTINUOUS METAL TREATMENT
ARE JUST AS SAFE AS A
QUARANTINE.
>> KEEPING THEM ON TRACK AND
ADDRESS WHAT IT IS THAT THEY ARE
STRUGGLING WITH IS WHAT THERAPY
IS ALL ABOUT.
>> DR. WILLIAMS FEEL NO LACK OF
QUALITY OF CARE.
HONESTLY I HAVE NOT SEEN A
DIFFERENCE AT ALL N SHORT IT HAS
BEEN THE SAME.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME
ISSUES IF WE WOULD HAVE SEEN
THEM IN PERSON, I START OUT
WITH, YOU KNOW WHAT IS IT THEY
WANT TO WORK ON AND WE GET RIGHT
TO WORK AND THAT’S WORK.
>> THE SAME WITH THE PATIENTS.
>> THE VISIT WAS COMPLETE
NORMAL, IT WAS MORE COMFORTABLE
BECAUSE I HAD MY CUP OF COFFEE
WITH ME.
HE WAS IN HIS LIVING ROOM.
HIS OFFICE AT HOME.
>> THEY ARE SEEING MOSTLY WAIST
UP THEY CANNOT PULL THE WOOL
OVER THE THERAPIST’S EYES OR
MANNERISMS OR SIGNS OF STRESS
OUT OF MANY CAMERA VIEW.
>> I THINK THAT I GUESS THAT
CORRELATES WITH MY FINGERS.
>> THE CORE OF THE PERSON THAT
YOU ARE DEALING WITH THAT YOU
ARE LOOKING AT THEM.
AND THEY’RE LOOKING AT YOU AND
THAT CONNECT THAT ARE YOU MAKING
WITH THE PERSON IS WHAT HELPS.
>> AND IT IS A TIME SAVER.
IF A PATIENT IS IN CRISIS AND
IMMEDIATE CONNECTION CAN BE
MADE.
AND FOR REGULAR SESSIONS THERE
IS NO MORE COMMUTE.
>> THERE IS MORE COMFORTABLE
FOR THEM AND LESS TIME
CONSUMING. THAN IF --
>> AND THE BUILDING AND IT WAS
JUST LIKE I ELIMINATED A LOT OF
THE EXTERNAL FACTORS.
>> I TALKED WITH MY PATIENTS HOW
HAVE YOU FOUND THIS.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH THIS.
THAT SPEAKS FOR THEMSELVES.
>> AVAILABLE TO OTHERS.
100%.
I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE
ACCESS TO THAT.
A LOT OF THIS IS ACCESSIBLE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT HAPPEN IN
THE FUTURE AND BEYOND THE
PANDEMIC.
>> IF HEALTH CARE IS SMART THEY
WILL MAKE THIS A TOOL THAT ANY
PERSON CAN USE.
>> THAT’S ONE OF THE KEY
THINGS.
THE TECHNOLOGY IS A VITAL
INSTRUMENT FOR THE THERAPIST AND
THE PATIENT THAT THEY ENJOY AND
FIND USEFUL.
>> THE ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE
I READ A LOT OF STUDIES THAT
SHOW THAT VIRTUAL CONVERSATIONS
DON’T GIVE YOU THE HUMID
INTERACTION THAT WE’RE, YOU
KNOW, WE’RE PROGRAMMED TO WANT
TO ENGAGE IN.
DO YOU THINK YOU GET THAT SORT
OF SENSE OF YOU KNOW CONNECTION
WHEN YOU’RE DOING A VIRTUAL
THERAPY SESSION?
>> WHAT I GATHER FROM THE.COM
AND THE PATIENT.
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY KNEW EACH
OTHER.
BECAUSE IT IS A LIVE
CONVERSATION.
DR. WILLIAMS IS THERE.
THE PATIENT IS ACTUALLY THERE.
>> THEY’RE ABLE TO HAVE A
RELAXED CONVERSATION.
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE IN PERSON
BUT YOU HAVE THE COMFORT OF
KNOWING SOMEONE IS THERE FOR YOU
AND YOU ARE THERE FOR SOMEONE,
MY SESSIONS HAVE BEEN FACE
TIMING MY MOM MAYBE WE SHOULD
LOOK INTO THIS.
>> AND I THINK THE ISOLATION AND
LONELINESS IS A PROBLEM.
TO SEE SOMEONE ELSE THAT ARE YOU
NOT LIVING WITH IS NICE.
>> AND HAVING THAT ACCESS TO
THEM QUICKLY IS A PLUS.
WE’LL SEE WHERE THIS GOES, AS