Telemental health for clinical assessment and treatment.

Telemental health-the use of videoconferencing or audio only (telephone) in mental health care-has accelerated tremendously since the start of the covid-19 pandemic. Meta-analyses have examined the reliability (ie, concordance) of assessment and the efficacy/effectiveness of telemental health compared with in-person care. Results indicate that telemental health assessment and clinical outcomes are similar compared with in-person care but there is much unexplained variability, as well as evidence that patient clinical and demographic characteristics can influence these findings. Further, gaps exist in the literature regarding specific patient populations (eg, psychotic disorders, children/adolescents), treatment modalities (eg, group therapy), audio only telemedicine, and hybrid care that mixes in-person with telemental health care. These gaps provide important directions for the next generation of telemental health research. Comprehensive clinical guidelines from mental health organizations are available to telemental health practitioners and focus on five content themes: legal and regulatory issues, clinical considerations, standard operating procedures and protocols, technical requirements, and considerations of specific populations and settings.

Clinicians' Perceptions of Rapid Scale-up of Telehealth Services in Outpatient Mental Health Treatment.

Background: Little is known about specialty mental health and/or substance use disorder (MH/SUD) clinicians' experiences transitioning from in-person to telehealth care, to treat a diagnostically diverse population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Survey of outpatient MH/SUD clinicians (psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers; N = 107) at a psychiatric hospital. Clinician satisfaction and experiences using telehealth across a variety of services (individual, group or family therapy, initial assessments, evaluation and management, and neuropsychological assessment) were assessed using a mixed-methods approach. Results: Across services, a majority agreed/strongly agreed that telehealth provided an opportunity to build rapport with patients (67-88%) and they could treat their patients' needs well (71-88%). The interest in continuing to use telehealth when in-person visits resume varied by type of service provided (50-71%). Group therapy and initial assessment were lowest (50% and 51%, respectively). Clinicians noted telehealth improved access to care for patients with logistical barriers, competing demands, mobility difficulties, and medical concerns; but was more challenging to care for patients with certain psychiatric characteristics (e.g., psychosis, paranoia, catatonia, high distractibility, and avoidance), high symptom severity, or who needed to improve social skills. Telehealth influenced the therapeutic process (e.g., observations of family dynamic, increased patient/clinician therapeutic alliance). Discussion and Conclusions: MH/SUD clinicians who quickly transitioned to telehealth care during the pandemic were largely satisfied with telehealth, but also identified challenges related to specific patient characteristics, or types of MH/SUD services. These observations warrant additional study to better delineate the role for an expanded use of telehealth postpandemic.

Patients' perceptions of telehealth services for outpatient treatment of substance use disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The rapid scale-up of telehealth services for substance use disorders (SUDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique opportunity to investigate patient experiences with telehealth. This study examined patient perceptions of telehealth in an outpatient SUD treatment program offering individual therapy, group therapy, and medication management. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy adults receiving SUD outpatient treatment were eligible to complete a 23-item online survey distributed by clinicians; 58 patients completed/partially completed the survey. Data were summarized with descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Participants were predominately male, White, and well-educated. The majority (86.2%) were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the quality of telehealth care. "Very satisfied" ratings were highest for individual therapy (90%), followed by medication management (75%) and group therapy (58%). Top reasons for liking telehealth included the ability to do it from home (90%) and not needing to spend time commuting (83%). Top reasons for disliking telehealth were not connecting as well with other members in group therapy (28%) and the ability for telehealth to be interrupted at home or work (26%). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Telehealth visits were a satisfactory treatment modality for most respondents receiving outpatient SUD care, especially those engaging in individual therapy. Challenges remain for telehealth group therapy. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first study examining patients' perceptions of telehealth for outpatient SUD treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic by treatment service type. Importantly, while many participants found telehealth more accessible than in-person treatment, there was variability with respect to the preferred mode of treatment delivery.