A Controlled Trial of Patient Centered Telepsychiatry Interventions

This project addresses a critical public mental health problem: the need to improve access to high quality, mental health services for diverse populations through improving the flow of clinical work across care settings (primary care and specialty care) by implementing an efficient, provider compatible, administratively simple health IT solution: Asynchronous Telepsychiatry. To assess the impact of this novel approach, this two-year randomized controlled trial of clinical outcomes seeks to evaluate the superiority of the asynchronous telepsychiatry (ATP) consultation model on access, quality, cost and outcomes of care over the usual care for adults referred from primary care clinics for psychiatric evaluation and treatment. Aim 1: To assess whether the ATP delivery model improves clinical OUTCOMES in adult patients referred for psychiatric treatment by their PCPs; Hypotheses: Compared to the participants in the 'usual care" arm, participants in the ATP arm will show: H1: Higher scores over the course of treatment (better clinical trajectory) on the Short-Form-12 Health Survey (SF12- the primary outcome measure), the Clinical Global Impressions scale (CGI), the Who Disability Schedule (WHODAS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score. H2 (Exploratory): Improved clinical trajectories on specific disorder scales, such as the PSQ9, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), the GAD7 and the AUDIT substance abuse scale over the those in the "usual care" arm. Aim 2: To assess whether ATP improves the QUALITY of care for adult patients referred for psychiatric treatment by their PCPs and for PCP providers; Hypotheses: Compared to the participants in the 'usual care" arm, participants in the ATP arm will show: H1: higher levels of satisfaction (as measured by the patient rated Patient Telemedicine Satisfaction Survey which includes a general care satisfaction measure to be used across TAU and ATP groups and by the provider rated Telemedicine Provider Satisfaction Questionnaire) H2 (Exploratory- Spanish only speaking participants): will report more positive ratings of their provider on the Interpersonal Processes of Care Survey short form. Hypothesis: PCP's will be highly satisfied with the quality of ATP H3: PCPs with patients referred to the ATP arm will report high satisfaction ratings on the Telemedicine Provider Satisfaction Questionnaire. Aim 3: To assess whether ATP improves EFFICIENCY and REACH through reducing COSTS and increasing ACCESS for adult patients referred for psychiatric treatment by their PCPs; Hypotheses: Compared to care in the 'usual care" arm, care in the ATP arm will: H1: be more cost effective than "usual care" arm as measured by comprehensive economic data that will be collected from patient, provider, and payor perspectives. H2: produce shorter wait-times for appointment and consultation feedback as measured by comprehensive efficiency data that will be collected from patient, provider, and payor perspectives.