Investigating the Effectiveness of Telepsychiatry for Treating Major Depression in a Chinese American Nursing Home

Feasibility and Effectiveness of Telepsychiatry for Collaborative Management of Chinese Americans With Psychiatric Disorders in a Nursing Home

The current use of telepsychiatry, or psychiatric care using videoconferencing, is very limited. The present study investigates the use of this method with a depressed Chinese American population in a nursing home. It is believed that this population can benefit from telepsychiatric treatment when used in collaboration with the primary care they receive in the nursing home.

Individuals at the South Cove Manor nursing home will be referred to this study if they are experiencing depression. After meeting with the Principal Investigator (a psychiatrist), he will collaborate with the primary care physician and the nursing home staff to establish a treatment plan for the patient. Videoconferencing will be used by the P.I. for regular psychiatric visits with the patient as well as meetings with the nursing home staff to coordinate care for the patient. After collaboration between the two groups, treatment suggestions will be given to the patient's primary care physician (PCP) to implement in the primary care setting. The patient's symptomology, mood, satisfaction of life and side effects of medication will be recorded regularly to measure the effects of treatment for analysis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder
• Patient at South Cove Manor Nursing Home
• Referred by nursing staff for psychiatric consultation

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not competent to participate in psychiatric interviews