Background: Meeting the varied needs of a wide patient population requires innovative strategies and service delivery models. Telehealth interventions have shown promise and success in providing high-quality and ethical care to patients with eating disorders through a variety of styles and modalities. This presentation will highlight real-life lessons learned from the development and implementation of virtual services for eating disorders. Participants will gain valuable perspectives and key insights into considering if virtual services fit into their practice model and how to deliver on these services with quality and integrity.
Objectives: Identify at least three forms of virtual support that can enhance current eating disorder treatment.
Identify at least two important considerations in the implementation of telehealth practice.
Describe the current regulatory landscape related to telehealth in eating disorder treatment.
- Brief evolution of telehealth across disciplines
- Case for implementation in the eating disorder field
- Review of current status of virtual intervention in the eating disorder field, including research background and clinical examples
- Virtual models at each level of care
- Considerations for implementation, including patient populations served, technology needed, training needed, and ethical considerations
- Case example of virtual care implementation - successes and pitfalls
- Quiz and review of quiz/discussion – How does virtual care fit into your practice model?
- Two case examples of patients treated with virtual care models
- Discussion and questions
Opportunities for integration of virtual care abound in today’s highly connected world. Practitioners interested in expanding their service delivery to include telehealth and virtual interventions are needed to meet the expansive needs. This presentation will share real-world lessons learned from the development and implementation of a broad spectrum of virtual services, including the delivery of higher levels of care and intensive support. The presenters will highlight the successes and challenges of a new service delivery model from a variety of perspectives, including the patient experience. Participants will have the opportunity to consider how virtual care fits into their own practice model, opportunities that exist to serve varied populations, and the necessary considerations and training needed. The presenters will share insights and perspectives on virtual platforms, the insurance landscape, and the future of telehealth in the eating disorder field.
Dr. Solomon serves as a Regional Director for Eating Recovery Center, overseeing clinical programming and operations in various treatment centers. She is also responsible for the clinical leadership of ERC’s telebehavioral health initiatives, including the Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program. Dr. Solomon has a keen interest in exploring service delivery in eating disorder care in order to help close the large gap in treatment accessibility. She is an active member in the Academy for Eating Disorders and board member for the Binge Eating Disorder Association, in addition to being a CEDS Supervisor. She has presented nationally and international on topics related to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, social media, and family involvement in treatment.
Casey N. Tallent, Ph.D. is the National Collegiate Outreach Director of Eating Recovery Center and the co-founder of the Nebraska Eating Disorders Network. After working in college mental health for several years, her work focuses on bringing eating disorders programming to college campuses. She is a national speaker at conferences and colleges.
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Karen Schneller, LMFT, CEDS
Karen Schneller, MFT, CEDS, is the Clinical Director of Virtual Outpatient Programs for Eating Recovery Center. Karen Schneller is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and CEDS, working in the field of eating disorders since 2003 in residential treatment, intensive outpatient programs, schools, and private practice. Karen also served on the Board as the Marketing Chair for the Orange County, CA Chapter of iaedp from 2011-2013. She holds an advanced certification in telehealth as a Distance Credentialed Counselor. One of Karen’s passions is eating disorder education and prevention and she has offered free eating disorder support groups for the past 10 years. She is regular speaker across settings. Karen believes in compassionate and customized treatment. While working in treatment programs over the last 14 years, she has seen first-hand the power of treatment in combating this life-threatening disease.
