title: Rural versus suburban primary care needs, utilization, and satisfaction with telepsychiatric consultation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rural and suburban populations remain underserved in terms of psychiatric services but have not been compared directly in terms of using telepsychiatry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient demographics, reasons for consultation, diagnosis, and alternatives to telepsychiatric consultation were collected for 200 consecutive, first-time telepsychiatric consultations at rural and suburban clinics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rural patients were more likely than suburban patients to be younger than 18 years, using Medicaid, and needing treatment planning (lest they be referred out of the community). Rural patient and primary care physician satisfaction was higher than that of suburban counterparts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Telepsychiatry programs may enhance access, satisfaction, and quality of rural care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behaviorial Science, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. dmhilty@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hilty
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Nesbitt
authors.forename: Christina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kuenneth
authors.forename: Grace M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hales
mesh_terms: D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D019114:Remote Consultation; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019036:Suburban Health Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States