Use of telehealth mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Danusha Jayawardana A C and Brenda Gannon A BA Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, Level 5, Sir Llew Edwards Building, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
B School of Economics, Level 6, Colin Clark Building, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia. Email: brenda.gannon@uq.edu.au
C Corresponding author. Email: d.jayawardana@uq.edu.au
Australian Health Review 45(4) 442-446 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH20325
Submitted: 11 November 2020 Accepted: 29 December 2020 Published: 15 February 2021
Journal Compilation © AHHA 2021 Open Access CC BY
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, specific mental health telehealth services in Australia have been an important source of help for the increasingly stressed population. This study examined trends in the uptake of telehealth items for mental health during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic using administrative Medicare data. During the peak of the pandemic there was a 50% reduction in the in-person consultations for mental health but also a substantial increase in uptake largely of the newly introduced temporary Medicare Benefits Schedule telehealth services. Further, the use of telehealth varied across age, gender and state/territory. These findings have important implications for the allocation of resources for telehealth, both now, and into the post-COVID-19 era.
Keywords: Australia, COVID-19, health services research, mental health, pandemic, telehealth services, telemedicine, video conference.
References
[1] Pfefferbaum B, North CS. Mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic. N Engl J Med 2020; 383 510–12.| Mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32283003PubMed |
[2] Newby JM, O’Moore K, Tang S, Christensen H, Faasse K. Acute mental health responses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. PLoS One 2020; 15 e0236562
| Acute mental health responses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32722711PubMed |
[3] Andersson G. Internet-delivered psychological treatments. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2016; 12 157–79.
| Internet-delivered psychological treatments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26652054PubMed |
[4] Berryhill MB, Culmer N, Williams N, Halli-Tierney A, Betancourt A, Roberts H, King M. Videoconferencing psychotherapy and depression: a systematic review. Telemed J E Health 2019; 25 435–46.
| Videoconferencing psychotherapy and depression: a systematic review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 30048211PubMed |
[5] Wind TR, Rijkeboer M, Andersson G, Riper H. The COVID-19 pandemic: the ‘black swan’ for mental health care and a turning point for e-health. Internet Interv 2020; 20 100317
| The COVID-19 pandemic: the ‘black swan’ for mental health care and a turning point for e-health.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32289019PubMed |
[6] Australian Government Department of Health. Better access telehealth services for people in rural and remote areas. 2019. Available at: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-ba-telehealth [verified August 2020].
[7] Australian Government Department of Health. COVID-19 temporary MBS telehealth services. 2020. Available at: http://www.mbsonline.gov.au/internet/mbsonline/publishing.nsf/Content/0C514FB8C9FBBEC7CA25852E00223AFE/$File/COVID-19%20Temporary%20MBS%20telehealth%20Services%20-%20Mental%20Health%2008052020.pdf [verified August 2020].
[8] Australian Government Department of Health. Better access to mental health care: fact sheet for professionals. 2019. Available at: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-ba-fact-prof [verified November 2020]
[9] Snoswell CL, Caffery LJ, Haydon HM, Thomas EE, Smith AC. Telehealth uptake in general practice as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Aust Health Rev 2020; 44 737–40.
| Telehealth uptake in general practice as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32853536PubMed |
[10] Wilson A, Moretto N, Langbecker D, Snoswell CL. Use of reimbursed psychology videoconference services in Australia after their introduction: an investigation using administrative data. Value Health Reg Issues 2020; 21 69–73.
| Use of reimbursed psychology videoconference services in Australia after their introduction: an investigation using administrative data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 31655466PubMed |
[11] Alam K, Mahumud RA, Alam F, Keramat SA, Erdiaw-Kwasie MO, Sarker AR. Determinants of access to eHealth services in regional Australia. Int J Med Inform 2019; 131 103960
| Determinants of access to eHealth services in regional Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 31518858PubMed |
[12] Thomas J, Barraket J, Wilson CK, Rennie E, Ewing S, MacDonald T. Measuring Australia’s digital divide: the Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2019. Melbourne: RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology; 2019. Available at: https://digitalinclusionindex.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/TLS_ADII_Report-2019_Final_web_.pdf [verified October 2020].
[13] Wade V, Soar J, Gray L. Uptake of telehealth services funded by Medicare in Australia. Aust Health Rev 2014; 38 528–32.
| Uptake of telehealth services funded by Medicare in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 25219655PubMed |
[14] Gilmore AK, Ward-Ciesielski EF. Perceived risks and use of psychotherapy via telemedicine for patients at risk for suicide. J Telemed Telecare 2019; 25 59–63.
| Perceived risks and use of psychotherapy via telemedicine for patients at risk for suicide.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28990454PubMed |
