The impact of the integration of telemedicine in a community psychiatry outpatient program during Covid-19

Abstract

Our study aims to describe the impact of transitioning to telemedicine care during the Covid-19 pandemic in a community psychiatry program. This was a retrospective study comparing no show rates and hospitalization rates pre and post adoption of telemedicine services, as well as evaluating patient satisfaction with telemedicine services. We found that there was a small but significant decrease in the no show rate following the adoption of telemedicine. We found no significant difference in the monthly hospitalization rate. The majority of patients surveyed liked using telemedicine and most preferred it to in-person visits. Patients identified convenience of telemedicine as a major benefit to this format and lack of privacy as a drawback. Telemedicine is an acceptable form of service delivery among this patient population. It decreased no show rates and did not increase hospitalizations. The use of this service delivery model could enhance the patient experience, but consideration should be given to how and when it is used.