COVID-19, Telemedicine and Emergency Department Referrals: Patient Presentations and Follow-up Times to a Community Mental Health Team
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic caused changes to how healthcare services are utilised and delivered. Objectives We examine the impact of COVID-19 on the pattern of emergency patient presentations referred on to the community mental health team and the impact of utilising telemedicine on time t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-06-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822005405/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797617542860111872 |
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| author | M. Zubir J. Costello A. Ali C. Erwins M. Cheasty L. Judge |
| author_facet | M. Zubir J. Costello A. Ali C. Erwins M. Cheasty L. Judge |
| author_sort | M. Zubir |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic caused changes to how healthcare services are utilised and delivered.
Objectives
We examine the impact of COVID-19 on the pattern of emergency patient presentations referred on to the community mental health team and the impact of utilising telemedicine on time to follow-up.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed all clinical records of patients currently attending our service. We identified presentations to the emergency department (N=119) who were subsequently referred on for mental health follow-up.
Results
Patients being referred to our team from emergency departments were significantly younger during, mean age 33.1 years (SD=12.3) compared to before the pandemic, mean age 40.0 years (SD=14.5), p=0.006 and a higher proportion were new patients during, 55.8%, compared to pre-pandemic period 33.3%, p=0.015. There was also a higher proportion of patients presenting with suicidal ideation and lower proportions of affective, psychosis and suicidal/self-injurious acts during the pandemic period compared to before, p=0.006. The ratio of female to male patients on the other hand were similar during both periods, p=0.853. There appeared to be no difference in median time to follow-up pre and during the pandemic (6.0 vs 5.5 days, p=0.995). Further analysis also found no significant impact on time to follow-up upon implementing telemedicine consultations, with median days to initial follow-up of 6 days pre-pandemic, 4.5 days during pandemic + prior to telemedicine and 6.5 days during pandemic + telemedicine, p=0.602.
Conclusions
This study provides preliminary data on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health emergency presentations and utilization of telemedicine on time to follow-up by CMHTs.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:56:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a1ad7e2903d45048f33940095da0378 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:56:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a1ad7e2903d45048f33940095da03782023-11-17T05:05:26ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S206S20710.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.540COVID-19, Telemedicine and Emergency Department Referrals: Patient Presentations and Follow-up Times to a Community Mental Health TeamM. Zubir0J. Costello1A. Ali2C. Erwins3M. Cheasty4L. Judge5The Rotunda Hospital, Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Dublin, IrelandHealth Service Executive, North Dublin Mental Health Service, Dublin, IrelandHealth Service Executive, North Dublin Mental Health Service, Dublin, IrelandHealth Service Executive, North Dublin Mental Health Service, Dublin, IrelandHealth Service Executive, North Dublin Mental Health Service, Dublin, IrelandHealth Service Executive, North Dublin Mental Health Service, Dublin, Ireland Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic caused changes to how healthcare services are utilised and delivered. Objectives We examine the impact of COVID-19 on the pattern of emergency patient presentations referred on to the community mental health team and the impact of utilising telemedicine on time to follow-up. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all clinical records of patients currently attending our service. We identified presentations to the emergency department (N=119) who were subsequently referred on for mental health follow-up. Results Patients being referred to our team from emergency departments were significantly younger during, mean age 33.1 years (SD=12.3) compared to before the pandemic, mean age 40.0 years (SD=14.5), p=0.006 and a higher proportion were new patients during, 55.8%, compared to pre-pandemic period 33.3%, p=0.015. There was also a higher proportion of patients presenting with suicidal ideation and lower proportions of affective, psychosis and suicidal/self-injurious acts during the pandemic period compared to before, p=0.006. The ratio of female to male patients on the other hand were similar during both periods, p=0.853. There appeared to be no difference in median time to follow-up pre and during the pandemic (6.0 vs 5.5 days, p=0.995). Further analysis also found no significant impact on time to follow-up upon implementing telemedicine consultations, with median days to initial follow-up of 6 days pre-pandemic, 4.5 days during pandemic + prior to telemedicine and 6.5 days during pandemic + telemedicine, p=0.602. Conclusions This study provides preliminary data on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health emergency presentations and utilization of telemedicine on time to follow-up by CMHTs. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822005405/type/journal_articleTelemedicineAUDITCovid-19Community Mental Health Services |
| spellingShingle | M. Zubir J. Costello A. Ali C. Erwins M. Cheasty L. Judge COVID-19, Telemedicine and Emergency Department Referrals: Patient Presentations and Follow-up Times to a Community Mental Health Team European Psychiatry Telemedicine AUDIT Covid-19 Community Mental Health Services |
| title | COVID-19, Telemedicine and Emergency Department Referrals: Patient Presentations and Follow-up Times to a Community Mental Health Team |
| title_full | COVID-19, Telemedicine and Emergency Department Referrals: Patient Presentations and Follow-up Times to a Community Mental Health Team |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19, Telemedicine and Emergency Department Referrals: Patient Presentations and Follow-up Times to a Community Mental Health Team |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19, Telemedicine and Emergency Department Referrals: Patient Presentations and Follow-up Times to a Community Mental Health Team |
| title_short | COVID-19, Telemedicine and Emergency Department Referrals: Patient Presentations and Follow-up Times to a Community Mental Health Team |
| title_sort | covid 19 telemedicine and emergency department referrals patient presentations and follow up times to a community mental health team |
| topic | Telemedicine AUDIT Covid-19 Community Mental Health Services |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822005405/type/journal_article |
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