Achieving Patient Satisfaction: Utilizing Telehealth Via an Academic-Practice Partnership

BACKGROUND: Academic-practice partnerships are a key component of the provision of innovative patient-centered care throughout a health care system. As consumers gain access to more health care options, patient satisfaction is becoming increasingly important. Patients' satisfaction depends on their perception during utilization of health care services. AIM: The purpose of the project was to assess patients' level of satisfaction with the utilization of a telehealth service to receive psychiatric-mental health care. METHOD: The project used a quantitative survey research design comprising a sample of patients receiving treatment for a psychiatric-mental health disorder. Utilizing telehealth, trained nursing students assisted in the provision of follow-up mental health care to patients residing in a rural area. Participating patients completed the 10-item Telehealth Satisfaction Scale questionnaire on conclusion of the follow-up appointment. RESULTS: Questionnaire responses were scored on a 4-point Likert-type scale, with high scores indicating greater satisfaction. Item means ranged from 3.4 to 3.82. CONCLUSIONS: As a positive association was found between patient satisfaction and the utilization of telehealth as part of an academic-clinical partnership, results suggest that the project was a worthwhile innovative endeavor. The telehealth intervention proved to be a sufficient alternative method of in-person follow-up visits for patients receiving treatment for psychiatric-mental health disorders.