Remote consultation in psychiatry: Preference of patients and clinicians following the COVID-19 experience

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, most mental health services have reverted to usual face-to-face consultations. We intended to explore the perception of patients and clinicians on remote consultations and their preferences for the future. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an anonymous survey involving both patients and mental healthcare professionals (MHP). The quality and satisfaction of remote consultations, options for patients, and the use of remote consultations in the future were enquired about. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 107 MHP and 78 patients. A considerable proportion of MHP (56.1%) and patients (71.8%) felt satisfied with remote consultations ( P < 0.05), and their quality was considered somewhat (11.2% vs. 23.1%) or a lot better (8.4% vs. 15.4%), respectively ( P < 0.05). Most (61.1%) participants preferred a mixture of face-to-face and remote, in contrast to face-to-face (30.3%) or remote (8.6%); there were no differences between MHP and patients. The majority (82.7%) felt that an option should be given to patients to choose the method of consultation. Most doctors (71.4%), other clinicians (70.8%), and clinical managers (75.0%) opted for mixed methods, versus 26.9% of nurses ( P < .005). Age group, ethnicity, experience of remote consultation with a general practitioner or hospital, attendance or admission to general or psychiatric hospitals during the pandemic, disabilities, having COVID-19, or psychiatric subspecialty were not associated with preference for the future consultation method. CONCLUSION: Both MHP and patients preferred a mixture of face-to-face and remote consultations in the future, and patients should have an option for choosing the consultation method.