Cruz Mario, Krupinski Elizabeth A, Lopez Ana Maria, Weinstein Ronald S
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
J Telemed Telecare. 2005;11(5):234-9. doi: 10.1258/1357633054471821.
We performed a retrospective review of the first five years of activity in the University of Arizona Telepsychiatry Programme. The programme began in 1998 as part of a telemedicine service for underserved rural areas. Over the first five years, 1086 teleconsultations were carried out for a total of 206 patients. There were 159 adult (77%) and 47 paediatric patients (23%). During the study period, the racial/ethnic diversity of the paediatric patients increased, as did the number of follow-up visits for adult patients (average 5.3/patient). These trends suggested that telepsychiatry became an integral part of the mental health service system at the six referring sites. Adult patients completed 81 satisfaction surveys (51%) and psychiatrists completed 47 (23%). The responses showed that providers and patients found telepsychiatry services satisfactory, although in a minority of teleconsultations (18% for providers and 17% for patients) equipment problems were distracting. The continued use of the services suggests that the telepsychiatry programme fills a service gap in rural areas of the state.
我们对亚利桑那大学远程精神病学项目开展的头五年活动进行了回顾性研究。该项目始于1998年，是为服务欠缺的农村地区提供的远程医疗服务的一部分。在头五年里，共为206名患者进行了1086次远程会诊。其中有159名成年患者（77%）和47名儿科患者（23%）。在研究期间，儿科患者的种族/族裔多样性有所增加，成年患者的随访次数也有所增加（平均每位患者5.3次）。这些趋势表明，远程精神病学已成为六个转诊地点心理健康服务系统不可或缺的一部分。成年患者完成了81份满意度调查（51%），精神科医生完成了47份（23%）。调查结果显示，尽管在少数远程会诊中（提供者为18%，患者为17%）设备问题会分散注意力，但提供者和患者对远程精神病学服务感到满意。服务的持续使用表明，远程精神病学项目填补了该州农村地区的服务空白。
