Clinical Management of Patients with Schizophrenia Treated with Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics and Telepsychiatry Use During COVID-19 Pandemic
Cns Spectrums
; 27(2):230, 2022.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1815434
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic substantially impacted care of patients with schizophrenia treated with long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs). This study examined how clinics adapted operations to maintain a standard of care for these patients after pandemic onset.METHODS:
Online surveys were completed in October-November 2020 by one principal investigator (PI) or PI-appointed designee at 35 clinics participating in OASIS (NCT03919994). Items concerned pandemic impacts on clinic operations, particularly telepsychiatry, and on the care of patients with schizophrenia treated with LAIs.RESULTS:
All 35 clinics reported using telepsychiatry;20 (57%) implemented telepsychiatry after pandemic onset. Telepsychiatry visits increased from 12%-15% to 45%-69% across outpatient visit types after pandemic onset;frequency of no-show and/or canceled telepsychiatry visits decreased by approximately one-third. Nearly half of clinics increased the frequency of telepsychiatry visits for patients with schizophrenia treated with LAIs. Approximately one-third of participants each reported switching patients treated with LAIs to longer injection interval LAIs or to oral antipsychotics. The most common system/clinic- and patient-related barrier for telepsychiatry visits was lower reimbursement rate and access to technology/reliable internet, respectively. Almost all participants (94%) were satisfied with telepsychiatry for maintaining care of patients with schizophrenia treated with LAIs;most predicted a hybrid of telepsychiatry and office visits post-pandemic.CONCLUSIONS:
Changes made by clinics after pandemic onset were viewed by almost all participants as satisfactory for maintaining a standard of care for patients with schizophrenia treated with LAIs. Most participants predicted continuing telepsychiatry to support patient care post-pandemic;equitable access to telepsychiatry will be important in this regard.FUNDING:
Alkermes, Inc.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Language:
English
Journal:
Cns Spectrums
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS