Association Between Telepsychiatry Capability and Treatment of Patients With Mental Illness in the Emergency Department.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Because of limited access to psychiatrists, patients with acute mental illness in some emergency departments (EDs) may wait days for a consultation in the ED or as a medical-surgical admission. The study assessed whether telepsychiatry improves access to care and decreases ED wait times and hospital admissions.

Methods

ED visits with a primary diagnosis of mental illness were identified from 2010-2018 Medicare claims. A total of 134 EDs across 22 states that implemented telepsychiatry between 2013 and 2016 were matched 1:1 with control EDs without telepsychiatry on several characteristics, including availability of in-person psychiatrist consultations. Outcomes included patients' likelihood of admission to a medical-surgical or psychiatric bed, mental illness spend

SUBMITTER: Patel SY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8857309 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature