OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the clinical feasibility of remote psychometric consultation with elderly patients. METHODS: Remote consultation with six women and four men (average age 87) was compared with a standard consultation. An interview and two psychometric tests were used: the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and the Clock Face Test (CFT), which were administered by a clinical psychologist and controlled by a psychologist observer who remained in the room with the patient. The experimental setting consisted of two rooms linked by a coaxial cable. Each room was equipped with a camera, television screen, and microphone. The clinician was able to operate the mobile camera in the patient's room by remote control. The clinician was assisted by a computer, which helped to focus on standardized points. A video camera recorded the consultation for documentation purposes. RESULTS: Decreased performance was observed in the remote versus the standard consultation for both tests (MMSE: p = 0.008; CFT: p = 0.006). Physiologic hearing loss may have been responsible for a fall in the patients' attention. CONCLUSION: Remote psychometric consultation can be applied successfully to the psychological examination of elderly patients provided that communication problems are solved.
OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the clinical feasibility of remote psychometric consultation with elderly patients. METHODS: Remote consultation with six women and four men (average age 87) was compared with a standard consultation. An interview and two psychometric tests were used: the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and the Clock Face Test (CFT), which were administered by a clinical psychologist and controlled by a psychologist observer who remained in the room with the patient. The experimental setting consisted of two rooms linked by a coaxial cable. Each room was equipped with a camera, television screen, and microphone. The clinician was able to operate the mobile camera in the patient's room by remote control. The clinician was assisted by a computer, which helped to focus on standardized points. A video camera recorded the consultation for documentation purposes. RESULTS: Decreased performance was observed in the remote versus the standard consultation for both tests (MMSE: p = 0.008; CFT: p = 0.006). Physiologic hearing loss may have been responsible for a fall in the patients' attention. CONCLUSION: Remote psychometric consultation can be applied successfully to the psychological examination of elderly patients provided that communication problems are solved.
Authors: Debra G Morgan; Margaret Crossley; Andrew Kirk; Carl D'Arcy; Norma Stewart; Jay Biem; Dorothy Forbes; Sheri Harder; Jenny Basran; Vanina Dal Bello-Haas; Lesley McBain Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2009-01 Impact factor: 3.658