Program Evaluation and Modification: Supporting Pragmatic Data-Driven Clinical Videoconferencing (CV) Services

Abstract

This chapter discusses the prioritization of desired outcomes and ongoing program evaluation in the provision of clinical videoconferencing (CV) services. It provides an overall organizing framework to consider program evaluation from the very early stages of planning. Emphasis is placed on crafting evaluation fitted to specific needs and available resources.

Appendices

Conclusion

This chapter addressed the prioritization of desired outcomes and evaluation in the provision of CV services. Process, procedures, levels of depth and dos and don’ts were offered to give the reader options to learn basic or advanced approaches to CV, program change, and evaluation/outcomes. Clearly, the best standard for program evaluation is a simple yet elegant plan, and one that is practical, efficient, systematic, and grounded in the evidence base. This chapter attempted to convey that varying levels of evaluation quality, scope and depth may be employed depending on the situation, but that any evaluation should be grounded in and facilitates program improvement. Why ask the question if you do nothing with the answer? Accordingly, an efficient plan could be centered on just a few variables sufficient to get to the next better place incrementally. The important thing is that those few variables be chosen with thought, with broad agreement among players, and be measurable with the means available.

Acknowledgements

American Telemedicine Association , and in particular, the Telemental Health Interest Group, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, the UC Davis School of Medicine Center for Health and Technology of the UC Davis Health System.

Appendix 6.A

Examples of telehealth care that have been thoroughly evaluated and well-articulated

• 1. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) for depression in adults [27].

• 2. Phone and email physician-to-provider consultation system using a 24 h “warm” line [47].

• 3. Telepsychiatric consultation (phone, email, or video), with continuing medical education (CME) [48].

• 4. Cultural consultation to rural primary via telemedicine [2].

• 5. Collaborative care via telepsychiatry, coprovision of medication for primary care patients by the telepsychiatrist and primary care provider in rural communities for adults [3, 4] and children [28].

• 6. Asynchronous telepsychiatry (ATP) [14], formerly known as store-and-forward services, used at the patient end (video recording local providers and patients, and uploading of videos for remote review and consultation. It is very cost-efficient) [14, 49].

• 7. Telepsychiatric emergency room evaluation [50, 52].

• 8. Integrated behavioral health by telepsychiatry [53].