Higher Acceptance of Videotelephonic Counseling Formats in Psychosomatic Medicine in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare system in general and psychosomatics in particular were forced to change counseling-specific services and break up established structures. At the beginning of 2020, phone as well as videotelephonic counseling options had to be quickly established.Methods: Patients (n = 278) of the department of psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy at the University Hospital Tübingen were asked to complete an ad hoc questionnaire to assess the acceptance of the counseling format following each counseling session (office, phone, video) in the period between July 2020 and February 2021.Results: Satisfaction and acceptance of the three counseling formats (office, phone, video) were rated (1–6) on average as “good” to “very good” in the three subgroups (1.5 ± 0.9). Likewise, the “therapeutic relationship” scored high in all three subgroups in terms of establishing a strong therapeutic relationship (4.4 ± 1.5). “Hurdles” were rated as low and tolerable (1.8 ± 1.3). The global assessment of therapeutic contact was significantly better in the video group compared to phone and office consultation (p < 0.05). Predictor analyses showed that there was an influence of age, but not gender, on the acceptance of digital counseling formats in the present sample [F(1, 277) = 4.50, p = 0.04].Discussion & Conclusion: Digital consultation formats were perceived by patients as promising addition to the classic face-to-face setting. Digital formats (phone, video) were not generally preferred to face-to-face counseling, but especially video counseling was accepted and perceived with great satisfaction and acceptance. Accordingly, the additional use of digital counseling formats, especially video-telephony, could be an opportunity to enrich the existing structures also after the pandemic.

Determinants of Patient Use and Satisfaction With Synchronous Telemental Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review

“…Patient use was examined in 10 studies [ 41 , 43 , 44 , 50 , 53 , 54 , 56 , 57 , 59 , 60 ], patient satisfaction in 7 studies [ 45 , 46 , 48 , 49 , 51 , 52 , 55 ], and both outcomes were observed in 3 studies [ 42 , 47 , 58 ]. Patient use was mostly defined as having at least 1 telemental health visit during the pandemic [ 43 , 44 , 53 , 54 , 56 , 58 - 60 ].…”

“…However, others have also considered the number of telemental health visits [ 42 , 53 , 54 , 57 ] and the percentage of telemental health services in overall mental health service use during the pandemic [ 41 , 44 ] or attendance [ 47 , 50 ]. For patient satisfaction, 6 studies used self-developed items and scales [ 42 , 45 , 49 , 51 , 52 , 58 ], whereas 4 studies used established instruments (ie, Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire [ 61 ], Client Satisfaction Questionnaire [ 62 ], Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire [ 63 ], Treatment Perception Questionnaire [ 64 ], and Internet Evaluation and Utility Questionnaire [ 65 ]) [ 46 - 48 , 55 ]. The satisfaction questionnaires mainly focused on the overall satisfaction with the services.…”

“…Most samples included adult populations [ 42 , 44 , 46 , 49 , 50 , 52 , 55 , 57 , 58 ]. However, children or adolescents were also considered in other studies [ 41 , 45 , 48 , 53 , 54 , 56 ].…”

Perceived empowerment and the impact of negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of persons with severe mental illness

“…However, the lower perception of negative effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with schizophrenia compared to other diagnosis groups was also reported in other studies [ 28 , 33 , 37 , 50 ]. An explanation for these counterintuitive results could be that the restrictions in public life following lockdown measures were associated with lower levels of social and environmental stress, while the limitations in face to face treatment contacts in many countries were substituted by digital media consultation [ 74 – 79 ]. Nevertheless, our results also indicate that perceived negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic increase with increasing level of functional impairment due to mental disorders, at least on the dimensions of physical and emotional well-being, partnership, housing situation, and expectations for the future but also on the PICOV19 score.…”

“…following lockdown measures were associated with lower levels of social and environmental stress, while the limitations in face to face treatment contacts in many countries were substituted by digital media consultation [74][75][76][77][78][79]. Nevertheless, our results also indicate that perceived negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic increase with increasing level of functional impairment due to mental disorders, at least on the dimensions of physical and emotional well-being, partnership, housing situation, and expectations for the future but also on the PICOV19 score.…”