Meeting community needs through leadership and innovation: a case of virtual psychiatric emergency department (ED)

In this paper, we discuss a telehealth project aimed at delivering mental health crisis interventions to patients in two rural hospitals in Southern Ontario, Canada, by creating a virtual psychiatric emergency department (ED) using telehealth technology. A participatory action research approach was followed as a design framework for this project. A formal process based on Kouzes and Posner's five practices of exemplary leadership was crafted and closely followed, given the critical role of leadership necessary for the success of this project. The programme achieved its goal and was well received by patients and staff. ED physicians felt supported by the available psychiatric and mental health nursing expertise. Staff satisfaction with the protocols and processes were high, and ED physicians felt confident in the support they received during the decision-making process for appropriate disposition of the patient.