Positive Outcomes in a Virtual Partial Hospitalization Program

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services
• Telehealth
• Outpatient Care

Background:

• Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) are intensive outpatient mental health services.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, an in-person PHP transitioned to a virtual telehealth model.
• This study aimed to compare outcomes between in-person and telehealth PHP delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patient attendance, hospitalization rates, and satisfaction between in-person and telehealth partial hospitalization programs.
• To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of delivering intensive outpatient mental health services via telehealth.

Main Methods:

• A partial hospitalization program (PHP) was delivered in-person and subsequently transitioned to a HIPAA-secure virtual telehealth format.
• Patient data, including clinic attendance, hospitalization rates, and satisfaction, were compared for 12 months before and after the transition.
• Services included group sessions, individual support, and family work, adapted for virtual delivery.

Main Results:

• The telehealth PHP saw higher attendance rates (89.5%) compared to the in-person program (84.5%).
• Hospitalization rates were significantly lower in the telehealth group (8.9%) versus the in-person group (16.5%).
• Patient satisfaction rates were comparable, with 74.3% reporting condition improvement in the telehealth program.

Conclusions:

• A partial hospitalization program delivered entirely via telehealth is feasible and can yield superior outcomes to in-person care.
• Telehealth PHPs demonstrate potential for improved patient engagement and reduced hospital readmissions.
• While results are promising, the nonexperimental nature of the study necessitates caution in attributing all observed differences solely to the delivery method.