A five-year study led by John Fortney, PhD, and Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH, MA, published in JAMA Psychiatry found that telepsychiatry in rural, federally qualified health centers was a resounding success for patients who had screened positive for bipolar disorder and/or PTSD. The trial, called The Study to Promote Innovation in Rural Integrated Telepsychiatry (SPIRIT), was designed to identify the best approach to delivering tele-mental health services to rural primary-care clinics. It compared two interactive video approaches to integrate remote specialty mental health services in participating clinics. Tele-referral services involved one-on-one visits with a psychiatrist or licensed clinical psychologist. Tele-collaborative services involved a telepsychiatrist and care manager supporting visits with a primary care provider.

Patients in both groups reported substantially and statistically significant improvements in perceived access to care, decreases in their mental health symptoms and medication side effects, and improvements in their quality of life. There was no difference between the groups, and there were no differences in outcomes regarding age, gender, race or ethnicity. The trial recruited 1,004 patients from twenty-four FQHC clinics in rural Arkansas, Michigan, and Washington. It is the largest treatment mental health trial for rural patients to date and the biggest single grant our department has ever had. In addition to Drs. Fortney and Unützer, contributing authors include Amy Bauer, MD, MS, Joe Cerimele, MD, MPH, Matt Hawrilenko, PhD, and Lori Ferro, MHA. Read more.