Client satisfaction in a feasibility study comparing face-to-face interviews with telepsychiatry

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Health Services Research
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Telepsychiatry offers a potential solution to access barriers in mental healthcare.
• Comparing patient satisfaction between in-person and remote psychiatric services is crucial for evaluating new care models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a pilot study comparing patient satisfaction levels between face-to-face (FTF) and videoconferencing psychiatric consultations.
• To assess the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of telepsychiatry.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized study comparing FTF psychiatric services with videoconferencing services at 128 kbit/s.
• Patient satisfaction was measured using the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) four months post-consultation.
• Nine patients were in the FTF group and eight in the videoconferencing group after accounting for dropouts.

Main Results:

• The mean satisfaction score was 25.3 for the FTF group and 21.6 for the videoconferencing group.
• While a trend favored FTF care, the difference in patient satisfaction was not statistically significant.
• The two groups were comparable in most demographic and clinical aspects.

Conclusions:

• Telepsychiatry may offer comparable patient satisfaction to FTF psychiatric care.
• Further research is required to evaluate the efficacy of telepsychiatry against conventional FTF care.
• Evidence on efficacy is necessary for policymakers to guide the implementation of telepsychiatry services.