Managing suicides via videoconferencing in a remote northern community in Canada

Abstract

Introduction. Telehealth in remote communities has been reported to be cost-effective for emergency medicine and possibly for psychiatry. Methods. The cost of sending a patient out of a remote community for suicide assessment was compared with the cost of maintenance and on-line charges of videoconference. The cost comparison was used to determine the potential savings to the provincial government. User satisfaction was assessed through qualitative questionnaires. Results. The use of videoconferencing for mental health assessment for 71 patients in a remote northern community saved the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador $140,088 in 2003. Patients and health professionals were satisfied with mental health assessment via videoconference. Conclusion. The provision of mental health assessments for patients in a remote community in Labrador, Canada by videoconference was effective and saved money.