Measuring Psychiatric Symptoms Remotely: a Systematic Review of Remote Measurement-Based Care

This article systematically reviews studies examining remote measurement-based care (RMBC), defined as using technology to measure patients' psychiatric symptoms outside the context of a clinical encounter.

Thirty-six studies were identified that measured patients' psychiatric symptoms remotely and provided feedback to treatment providers. The majority were single group designs. There was evidence supporting the short-term feasibility and acceptability of RMBC, although long-term sustainability was less clear. Thirteen randomized controlled trials were identified. RMBC was typically implemented as part of a multicomponent intervention (e.g., internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy with feedback to provider). Three studies experimentally isolated the clinical effects of RMBC, with two reporting no statistically significant differences between the RMBC and control conditions and one reporting greater symptom improvement associated with RMBC. RMBC appears feasible and acceptable and may be a promising intervention for improving mental health care, but additional experimental studies are needed.