title: The reliability of telepsychiatry for a neuropsychiatric assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether or not the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), an examination that relies on visual judgments, can be reliably measured via video conferencing equipment.
  
  
  METHODS
  AIMS scores were assessed by two independent raters in face-to-face contact with the subject and two raters observing remotely via audio-visual transmission. We determined inter-rater reliabilities using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). We assessed if the condition of the rater influenced the ICC. We distinguished between whether the rater was physically in the room with the subject or was connected via video. We then statistically compared the differences between these conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant statistical differences between the raters, which could be attributed to the condition while assessing involuntary movements using the AIMS instrument. Regardless of whether this assessment was conducted by direct observation or via video conferencing equipment, the results were reliable to the same degree.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reliable neuropsychiatric assessments can be conducted using telemedicine even if primarily visual input is evaluated.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors: Vijay
authors: V
authors: Amarendran
authors: Anselm
authors: A
authors: George
authors: Vrushali
authors: V
authors: Gersappe
authors: Sudha
authors: S
authors: Krishnaswamy
authors: Calvert
authors: C
authors: Warren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015588:Observer Variation; D011570:Psychiatry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*