The Outcome Evaluation and Impact of Tele-mentoring Prison Medical Officers in Primary Care Psychiatry: A Model from Bihar, India

Introduction: As compared to the general population, prison inmates have a high prevalence of mental illness and substance use disorders. The authors designed and implemented a digitally driven, one-year primary care psychiatry program for medical officers in prison and correctional settings to address this need in Bihar, India. Aim: The study aimed to assess the outcome of training given to prison medical officers deputed by the Government of Bihar. Materials and Method: Five medical officers completed training out of the seven deputed. The training contained brief onsite (three-day) training in “Clinical Schedules for Primary Care Psychiatry” and three online (one-year) modules containing tele-psychiatric on-consultation training (tele-OCT), virtual classroom (VCR) sessions, and a public health module. We measured the outcome using translational quotient (TQ) and primary care psychiatry quotient (PCPQ), which were carried out 6 and 12 months after the onset of training. Results: The TQ scores in the first and second tele-OCT evaluations were 64% and 75.2% at 6 and 12 months of the course, suggesting adequate skill retention. Out of 33,565 consultations over 12 months, medical officers identified 2,947 psychiatric disorders requiring treatment, resulting in a PCPQ of 8.7%. Conclusion: Over a year, the training demonstrated efficacy in acquiring primary care psychiatry skills, and these competencies were applied in providing care for those with psychiatric disorders.