The Telepsychiatry Advantage
The Telepsychiatry Advantage is a podcast for clinicians who want a clear, practical understanding of how telepsychiatry actually works. As more care moves online, the show breaks down the real considerations behind it—who it works for, where it doesn’t, how to handle risk, what regulations matter, and how to deliver care effectively through a screen. Each episode focuses on what you need to know to make better decisions and avoid common mistakes in a rapidly changing environment.
Your host is Dr. Edward Kaftarian, the founder of Orbit Health, the longest-running telepsychiatry company in the world. He received his psychiatry training at the renowned Johns Hopkins University and holds board certifications in Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine.
The Telepsychiatry Advantage
Ryan Haight Act: The Law That Changed Telepsychiatry (Part 1)
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The Ryan Haight Act is one of the most important laws in modern telepsychiatry, especially when it comes to prescribing controlled substances remotely. Nearly every conversation around telemedicine care eventually leads back to this legislation and the events that led to its creation.
The law emerged during a chaotic period in the early internet era, when rogue online pharmacies were distributing highly addictive medications with almost no real medical oversight. What followed was a tragedy that changed telemedicine forever and led regulators to fundamentally reshape how controlled substances could be prescribed remotely.
In part one of this special four-part series, Dr. Edward Kaftarian recounts the story that led to the Ryan Haight Act. He also gets into what the law actually does, including the baseline in-person requirement and the seven telemedicine exceptions written into it.
For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at:
https://www.orbithealth.com/