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CompletedNCT02537093Updated Jul 11, 2017

Pilot Study of Asynchronous and Synchronous Telepsychiatry for Skilled Nursing Facilities

An interventional study of Psychiatric Consultation in Dementia, Depression and Mood Disorder, sponsored by University of California, Davis. Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2017-07-11.

Sponsored by University of California, Davis · Not applicable, Interventional, and Health services research

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
40
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Specific Aims: This study aims to assess the acceptability of asynchronous

telepsychiatry (ATP) and synchronous (STP) in rural Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)

population, in a 12-month randomized controlled trial. ATP relies on video recording of a

psychiatric interview, where the video is later reviewed by a psychiatrist to make a

psychiatric diagnosis and treatment recommendation to the primary treatment team.

STP is real-time, face-to-face psychiatric assessment using video conferencing to come

up with a psychiatric recommendation. People residing in SNFs generally rely on primary

and consultant physicians to visit them and rarely have outpatient psychiatrist follow-up.

SNFs offer more services than what is available to primary care office, and include 24-

hours skilled nursing services, physical therapy, nutritional consultation, occupational

therapy, social services, wound care, and psychiatric consultation when available. SNF

residents are unable to live independently due to their multiple medical comorbidities

and are therefore more medically ill than patients who are typically seen in primary care

settings. The present study aims to demonstrate feasibility and to collect pilot data in

SNFs. This study is funded by the UC Davis Behavior Health Center of Excellence grant

via the California Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63). In a larger, future study, the investigators

intend to demonstrate that ATP will be no different than STP in clinical outcomes but will

be more accessible and cost effective.

Read the detailed description

Specific Aims: This study aims to assess the acceptability of asynchronous

telepsychiatry (ATP) and synchronous (STP) in rural Skilled Nursing Facility

(SNF) population, in a 12-month randomized controlled trial. ATP relies on

video recording of a psychiatric interview, where the video is later reviewed by

a psychiatrist to make a psychiatric diagnosis and treatment recommendation

to the primary treatment team.

STP is real-time, face-to-face psychiatric assessment using video conferencing

to come up with a psychiatric recommendation. People residing in SNFs

generally rely on primary and consultant physicians to visit them and rarely

have outpatient psychiatrist follow-up. SNFs offer more services than what is

available to primary care office, and include 24-hours skilled nursing services,

physical therapy, nutritional consultation, occupational therapy, social services,

wound care, and psychiatric consultation when available. SNF residents are

unable to live independently due to their multiple medical comorbidities and are

therefore more medically ill than patients who are typically seen in primary care

settings. The present study aims to demonstrate feasibility and to collect pilot

data in SNFs. This study is funded by the University of California (UC Davis)

Behavior Health Center of Excellence grant via the California Mental Health

Services Act (Prop 63). In a larger, future study, we intend to demonstrate that

ATP will be no different than STP in clinical outcomes but will be more

accessible and cost effective.

Aim 1: To assess whether ATP and STP models improve clinical outcomes:

Hypotheses: Compared to STP, the ATP arm will: H1: show similar clinical

outcome trajectory, reflected in improvement from baseline, as measured by

Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Patient Health Questionaire-9 (PHQ-9), Brief

Interview for Mental Status (BIMS), and overall behavioral symptoms; H2: have

similar use of health care resources: psychiatric medications, additional interval

psychiatric visits, number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations

(medical, psychiatric, and overall); And H3: produce shorter waiting times for

psychiatric consultation.

Aim 2: To assess the acceptability of ATP and STP by examining satisfaction

surveys from SNF residents (who are able to complete the surveys).

Hypothesis:

Compared to STP, ATP participants will show: H1: Similar levels of satisfaction

as measured by: Telemedicine Satisfaction Survey as completed by

participants.

Aim 3: To conduct preliminary healthcare economics analysis and feasibility of

producing estimates of cost-effectiveness of ATP vs. STP in SNFs. Hypotheses:

ATP, compared to STP, will: H1: be more cost effective as measured by cost

savings from reduced need for face-to-face psychiatrist time and similar use of

other medical and psychiatric services.

02

Conditions studied

  • Dementia
  • Depression
  • Mood Disorder
  • Anxiety Disorder
  • Substance Use Disorder
03

In context

Substance-Related Disorders

2,124 studies on the registry are indexed under Substance-Related Disorders; 393 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 40 is below the median of 108 across 1,727 interventional studies indexed under Substance-Related Disorders.

Browse Substance-Related Disorders studies →

Lead sponsor

University of California, Davis is the lead sponsor of 798 studies on the registry; 146 are open to participants now.

Of its 65 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 43 (66%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Aged ≥18, with non-emergent psychiatric symptoms: depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), dementia-related behavioral problems, management of psychiatric medications, and other mental health problems that the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Primary Care Provider (PCP) and team deems necessary to obtain psychiatric consultation.
  • referred by SNF staff and PCP at participating site

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Residents with imminent suicide and/or violence risks that require emergency psychiatric referrals or residents who cannot wait until the next ATP/STP evaluation
  • Residents with other psychiatric emergencies will be referred to the local emergency department as is the current practice at both SNFs.
  • less than 18 years
  • immediate violent intentions or plans
  • incarceration
  • patient whose PCP recommends not participating.
  • PCP not at participating site
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Health services research
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
40 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Synchronous telepsychiatry (STP)

    Control Arm/Synchronous telepsychiatry (STP): After baseline assessment, subjects will be assessed by a psychiatrist using live interactive videoconferencing every 6 months for a 1 year follow up (3 STP assessments: baseline plus 2 assessments). A report with treatment recommendations following American Psychiatric Association guidelines will be sent to the PCP who will be able to have adlib telephone or email consultations with the telepsychiatrist. The telepsychiatrist will have access to all previous clinical information about the patients.

    Behavioral: Psychiatric Consultation

  • Experimental
    Asynchronous telepsychiatry (ATP)

    Intervention Arm (ATP): All ATP assessments at 6 monthly intervals post baseline will be conducted by an ATP trained clinician. This interview will be video recorded.The ATP clinicians will then fill out a standardized medical template that will be reviewed by a psychiatrist who will provide a written assessment and psychiatric treatment plan. He will have access to any previous assessments and the PCP will also have continuing access to this psychiatrist by phone or email between the 3 consultations.

    Behavioral: Psychiatric Consultation

Interventions

  • BehavioralPsychiatric Consultation
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Clinical Global Impression

    Change in CGI will be measured from baseline to study endpoint of 12-month follow-up

    Time frame: 12 months

  2. Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS)

    Change in BIMS will be measured from baseline to 12-month

    Time frame: 12 months

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Norwood Pines Care Center
    Sacramento, California 95838, United States
  • Cottonwood Post-Acute Rehabilitation Center
    Woodland, California 95695, United States
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 11, 2017, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02537093
Lead sponsor
University of California, Davis
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Sep 1, 2015
Start date
Aug 2015
Primary completion
May 2017
Completion
May 2017
Last update
Jul 11, 2017

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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