TY  - JOUR
AU  - Skime, Michelle K
AU  - Puspitasari, Ajeng J
AU  - Gentry, Melanie T
AU  - Heredia Jr, Dagoberto
AU  - Sawchuk, Craig N
AU  - Moore, Wendy R
AU  - Taylor-Desir, Monica J
AU  - Schak, Kathryn M
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/1/28
TI  - Patient Satisfaction and Recommendations for Delivering a Group-Based Intensive Outpatient Program via Telemental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Cohort Study
JO  - JMIR Ment Health
SP  - e30204
VL  - 9
IS  - 1
KW  - COVID-19
KW  - telemental health
KW  - teletherapy
KW  - telepsychiatry
KW  - telemedicine
KW  - intensive outpatient
KW  - patient satisfaction
AB  - Background: Although group-based intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are a level of care commonly utilized by adults with serious mental illness, few studies have examined the acceptability of group-based IOPs that required rapid transition to a telemental health (TMH) format during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate patient satisfaction and future recommendations for a group-based IOP that was transitioned to a TMH format during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A 17-item patient satisfaction questionnaire was completed by patients at discharge and covered 3 areas: IOP TMH satisfaction, future recommendations, and video technology challenges. Descriptive and content analyses were conducted for the quantitative and open-ended questions, respectively. Results: A total of 76 patients completed the program in 2020. A subset of patients (n=40, 53%) responded to the survey at program discharge. The results indicated that the patients were satisfied overall with the TMH program format; 50% (n=20) of the patients preferred the program continue offering the TMH format, and the rest preferred returning to in-person formats after the pandemic. The patients indicated the elements of the program that they found most valuable and provided recommendations for future program improvement. Conclusions: Overall, adults with serious mental illness reported high satisfaction with the group-based IOP delivered via TMH. Health care systems may want to consider offering both TMH and in-person formats regardless of the state of the pandemic. Patients’ feedback on future improvements should be considered to help ensure long-term success. 
SN  - 2368-7959
UR  - https://mental.jmir.org/2022/1/e30204
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/30204
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34878999
DO  - 10.2196/30204
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/30204
ER  -