Evaluation of a Canadian telepsychiatry service

A telepsychiatry pilot project linking five rural general hospitals and Alb erta Hospital Ponoka was implemented in June 1996 as a response to both a s carcity of psychiatric resources in the Province of Alberta and the emphasi s on community-based care. Psychiatrists located at Alberta Hospital Ponoka provided psychiatric consultations using videoconferencing technology in r esponse to referrals from general practitioners. The project was evaluated through the use of questionnaires administered to consumers, service provid ers, and psychiatric consultants. Questionnaires were supplemented by inter views, site visits, logs, telephone interviews with consumers, and surveys to general practitioners at the rural sites. A total of 109 consultations occurred during the pilot stage. Results stron gly suggested acceptance and satisfaction with the consultation by consumer s, general practitioners and psychiatrists. The patient's perceived benefit s included timeliness of service, service within their own community, decre ased work time loss for self or family, and positive outcomes as a result o f specialist expertise. Up until September 30, 1998 a total of 535 consultations had been completed , 381 of which were new referrals and 154 of which were follow up referrals . Seventy-two different physicians referred to the service. The practice pr ofile is dramatically different to outpatient psychiatric practice in which approximately 90% of patient contacts are follow-up visits.