A pilot study on the use of the telephone in an acute psychiatric service
About: This article is published in The Psychiatrist.The article was published on 1992-09-01 and is currently open access. It has received 3 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Service (business).
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TL;DR: There were few significant differences between communication modes when using single measures; only multiple levels of analysis can adequately assess the differences between such modes of communication.
Abstract: The process and outcome of clinical tasks in an acute psychiatric unit were compared using four different communication modes: face to face, telephone, hands-free telephone, and a low-cost videoconferencing system. Six doctors and six patients took part in the study. Four assessment measures were used. The videoconferencing system was positively received by both patients and doctors. Both doctors and patients preferred communication modes with visual cues. However, there were few significant differences between communication modes when using single measures; only multiple levels of analysis can adequately assess the differences between such modes of communication.
74 citations
TL;DR: The LCVC proved technically reliable and compatible with the performance of a wide range of clinical tasks, however, the results suggest the need for better understanding of the nature and origins of the attitudes that users bring to the use of such communications technology.
Abstract: This study reports the results of the use of a low-cost videoconferencing system (LCVC) for communication in an acute psychiatric service. Qualitative research methodology was used to examine the use of the LCVC in interactions between psychiatrists, patients and nursing staff, including information on refusals. One hundred and five clinical interactions were studied over four months. The LCVC proved technically reliable and compatible with the performance of a wide range of clinical tasks. However, the results suggest the need for better understanding of the nature and origins of the attitudes that users bring to the use of such communications technology. A framework is presented for the classification of user responses in terms of preexisting attitudes of the users, technological limitations of the system and the mental state of the users. The study demonstrated the potential for interactive television to support many of the communication tasks necessary in a dispersed psychiatric service and for teleps...
52 citations
TL;DR: Findings appear to indicate that a telephone consultancy service can provide a counselling service and highlight community resources that may be overlooked by other agencies – therefore it is important to bolster awareness of the service itself on a periodic basis amongst potential users.
Abstract: Objective: An audit was carried out to evaluate the performance of a telephone consultancy service in adolescent psychiatry. Its objective was to answer the following questions: What does a telephone consultancy service actually do? Is it worth having? If so, how can we improve it? Method: Proforma data sheets on 69 consecutive calls to the Telephone Consultancy Service over a 16-month period were analysed. Results: Seventy-seven percent of enquirers used the service to request a referral or to ask about the appropriateness of referral but only 46% of enquiries were responded to in this way. Twenty-two percent of enquiries were given counselling or advice on how to proceed with the cases themselves. Almost 50% of calls came from the social work department and they enquired principally about conduct problems (27% of their calls) and sexual abuse victims (18% of their calls). General practitioners infrequently used the service (7 calls over a 16-month period). Conclusions: These findings appear to indicate that a telephone consultancy service can provide a counselling service and highlight community resources that may be overlooked by other agencies. However, infrequent use of the service by general practitioners suggests that there has been poor dissemination of information about the service – therefore it is important to bolster awareness of the service itself on a periodic basis amongst potential users.
1 citations
References
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TL;DR: The role of the telephone in delivering primary health care in the UK is reviewed, highlighting the wide differences between the UK and other countries, notably the USA, in knowledge of and experience with telephone care.
Abstract: This paper reviews the role of the telephone in delivering primary health care It highlights the wide differences between the UK and other countries, notably the USA, in knowledge of and experience with telephone care The volume and nature of telephone contacts in family medicine are explored before focusing on calls which may be described as consultations, both in and out of office hours Aspects of telephone consultations examined include the quality of care, the effectiveness of training programmes and the role of other health professionals Important gaps in the literature are identified, including the lack of comparisons between telephone and face-to-face care in terms of the quality of process and outcomes and the lack of data on costs and benefits
45 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the clinical methods by which unselected admissions to an acute psychiatric ward were reduced to an average of 11 days, and the experimental ward patients made fewer demands on their general practitioners and reported fewer parasuicides.
Abstract: Duration of stay for unselected admissions to an acute psychiatric ward was reduced to an average of 11 days. The clinical methods by which this was achieved are described. Comparing patients randomly allocated to this experimental ward and other admission wards: (i) the readmission rate to the experimental ward was higher but readmissions were briefer so that total in-patient experience per patient over the course of one year remained substantially lower; (ii) symptom levels and burden on the family had improved equally at three weeks and at four months after discharge; (iii) experimental ward patients made fewer demands on their general practitioners and reported fewer parasuicides. Beds can be released for other purposes in this way.
35 citations
5 citations