Eating disorder virtual intensive outpatient program: patient satisfaction according to age group.

The COVID-19 pandemic has required a shift to telehealth services. However, not all patients are similarly satisfied with this shift, with some studies finding that midlife and older adults are less comfortable with telehealth. The current study examined patient satisfaction with a virtual intensive outpatient program (VIOP) for eating disorders (EDs) among 305 adults (ages 18-25, ages 26-39, and ages 40+), and compared adult satisfaction to satisfaction among children/adolescents (n = 33) receiving VIOP treatment between August 2020 and March 2022 from a large ED treatment facility. It was hypothesized that adults aged 40+ would report lower satisfaction than younger age groups. Patients completed several questions regarding satisfaction with treatment upon discharge, including a question about likelihood of recommending the program, which was used to calculate a Net Promoter Score (NPS). The NPS was 33.3 for children/adolescents, 33.3 for 18-25 year-olds, 57.7 for 26-39 year-olds, and 30.9 for the 40+ year age group. NPS of 31-50 = quality services; 51-70 = excellent customer experiences. Satisfaction was high, with no statistically significant differences between age groups after Bonferroni correction. The current study adds to the limited literature on the treatment experiences of midlife adults with EDs.

Pilot assessment of a virtual intensive outpatient program for adults with eating disorders.

Access to evidence-based treatment for eating disorders is severely limited by patient barriers and available clinician training. While clinical parameters often point to the need for a high level of care, patients may resist pursuing higher levels of care due to these barriers. One option that might mitigate such obstacles is the provision of a higher level of care via internet-based treatment for eating disorders. We sought to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary clinical outcomes associated with treatment of eating disorders through virtual intensive outpatient programming (VIOP). Fifty-seven patients meeting DSM-5 criteria for an eating disorder participated in VIOP. Of the 57 patients in VIOP treatment, 3 did not complete voluntary measures at admission or discharge, and 9 additional patients did not complete voluntary measures at discharge. Overall, 45 VIOP patients completed admission and discharge assessments, including a net promoter score (NPS) question assessing patient acceptability. Recruitment, treatment adherence, and completion of assessments in VIOP were feasible and acceptable. VIOP patients showed significant and clinically meaningful improvements in all outcomes measured, including self-reported eating disorder symptoms, depression, self-esteem, quality of life, and overall satisfaction. VIOP appears feasible, acceptable, and evidences clinically meaningful changes in eating and mood disorder symptoms.