Rural versus suburban primary care needs, utilization, and satisfaction with telepsychiatric consultation.
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.
Hilty
Donald M
DM
Department of Psychiatry and Behaviorial Science, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. dmhilty@ucdavis.edu
Nesbitt
Thomas S
TS
Kuenneth
Christina A
CA
Cruz
Grace M
GM
Hales
Robert E
RE
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