Satisfaction of forensic psychiatric patients with remote telepsychiatric evaluation.

The level of satisfaction with telepsychiatry evaluations was determined in a sample of 43 forensic psychiatric patient inmates in a large urban jail. A forensic psychiatrist interviewed 20 patients in person, the other 23 remotely via interactive video. Demographic characteristics, physical health status, and psychiatric symptom severity on the Global Severity Index of the Brief Symptom Inventory were comparable in the two groups. Patient satisfaction with the evaluations was moderately high for patients in both groups, with no significant differences between them.