Patient satisfaction with telemedicine consultation in primary care: Comparison of ratings of medical and mental health applications

Objective: To assess the viability of telemedicine as a vehicle for offerin g mental health consultations to primary-care patients. Methods: Satisfaction ratings from 34 mental health encounters were compare d with ratings from a convenience sample of 59 non-mental health encounters on four aspects of satisfaction: self-reported ability to speak freely; pr obability of further use of telemedicine; perceived experience of telemedic ine personnel; and relative preference for a telemedicine visit compared wi th a face-to-face visit. The study was conducted in the context of the Tele medicine Program at the University of California, Davis. Results: No significant differences in satisfaction were found between ment al health and non-mental health encounter groups for any of the four aspect s of satisfaction. Conclusions: Ratings from patients receiving mental health consultation usi ng telemedicine yielded levels of satisfaction similar to those found in te lemedicine consultations in non-mental health medical areas. The results su pport telemedicine as a means to extend mental health consultation to rural primary-care patients.