Telepsychiatry Enables Better Mental Health Care Access in a Southern Philippines Hospital: a Mixed Methods Outcome Evaluation

Abstract

The Philippines faces a significant unmet need for mental health care services, especially in remote and underserved areas with limited access to traditional in-person psychiatric services. Telepsychiatry offers a potential solution for bridging this gap and improving access to care. This study aimed to evaluate the telepsychiatry service in a Level 1 government hospital in southern Philippines and assess its feasibility for improving mental healthcare access. This evaluation study used a mixed-methods approach, including quantitative analysis of patient demographic data and psychiatric diagnoses retrieved from medical records (2018–2021), as well as qualitative in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with patients, guardians, and hospital staff. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis was also conducted to assess areas for improvement. The majority of patients were between 18–35 yr old, male, and single. The most common diagnoses were schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, followed by depressive and anxiety disorders. Key issues included medicine shortage, lack of communication, and poor Internet connectivity. However, stakeholders cited advantages such as access to free consultations, timely diagnosis, and potential for service scale- up. This study features telepsychiatry's potential for enabling better mental health care access in resource-constrained areas of the Philippines. It is the first to demonstrate telepsychiatry service provision from a specialist hospital to a Level 1 government hospital in the country. However, sustained multi-sector and multi-level coordination is crucial for long-term viability. Recommendations for enhancement and future research directions are provided.