Perera, S.R.Gambheera, H.Williams, S.2020-11-192020-11-192020Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 2020; 62(9): S391-S394.00195545http://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/21598Indexed in Scopus; Not in MEDLINE/PUBMEDABSTRACT: Telepsychiatry, the application of telemedicine in the field of psychiatry is defined as the use of electronic communication and information technologies to provide or support clinical psychiatric care at a distance. COVID 19 and its implications related to physical distancing for patients and service providers has made tele-psychiatry and e-consultations an attractive option. Psychiatry, more than any other field in medicine stands to benefit through tele-psychiatry as a physical examination may not be always necessary to arrive at a diagnosis. Some have gone on to suggest that tele psychiatry is likely to replace in person psychiatric assessments pertaining to certain clinical situations. The article reviews the existing evidence for tele-psychiatry and addresses the challenges and pitfalls in the South Asian context. © 2020 Indian Journal of Psychiatry Published by Wolters Kluwer-Medknow.en-USTelemedicinePsychiatryCOVID-19Article