A pilot survey of inmate preferences for on-site, visiting consultant, and telemedicine psychiatric services.
OBJECTIVE
To assess inmate preferences for in-prison mental health services, outside psychiatric consultants, and telemedicine psychiatric consultation for 16 mental health services.


METHODS
Structured interviews were conducted of the service modality preferences of 28 inmates who received psychiatric telemedicine consultations in New York State Department of Corrections facilities.


RESULTS
For five of the 16 mental health services assessed, a significantly larger proportion of inmates preferred delivery of mental services by their on-site mental health team to an outside psychiatric consultant, whether visiting or using telemedicine. For another eight services, inmate preferences were approximately equal. For three services (treatment progress, evaluation of childhood sexual abuse, and sexual concerns), inmates reported a trend toward preference for outside consultation (visiting and telemedicine combined). For no service did inmates prefer telemedicine to a visiting consultant.


CONCLUSIONS
Although inmates prefer the use of on-site mental health professionals for many mental health services, some inmates prefer visiting or telemedicine consultants for the evaluation of safety and sexual issues. Because telemedicine is efficient and readily available, its role in these areas requires further evaluation.
Tucker
William
W
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA. tuckerb@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu
Olfson
Mark
M
Simring
Steven
S
Goodman
Willian
W
Bienenfeld
Scott
S
D002755:Choice Behavior; D003710:Demography; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*