Treatment satisfaction of home-based telehealth versus in-person delivery of prolonged exposure for combat-related PTSD in veterans.

Introduction Although there is growing support that evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) delivered in-person and through telehealth are equivalent in terms of symptom reduction for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there has been far less investigation comparing these treatment modalities in terms of patient satisfaction. The present study investigated participant satisfaction and perception of the quality of service delivery within a clinical trial comparing the delivery of an EBP, Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD, through home-based telehealth and in-person services. Methods Veterans ( N = 67) with PTSD were randomized to receive PE via video telehealth technology ( n = 27) or via in-person delivery ( n = 40). Participants completed service demographic questions, PTSD symptom assessments, and satisfaction and service delivery perception questionnaires. Results Analyses of covariance were used to investigate the influence of treatment modality on patient satisfaction and perceived quality of service delivery, while controlling for demographics and PTSD symptoms. No differences were observed on the majority of measures, with the exception of participants in the telehealth condition endorsing willingness to drive further for telehealth services as compared with participants in the in-person condition. Discussion Findings illustrate participant satisfaction and acceptance of EBPs delivered via telehealth at a level consistent with that of in-person services. Preliminary findings suggest that the experience of receiving telehealth services may be associated with increased willingness to participate in telehealth services again. Together, these findings of patient satisfaction and acceptance of telehealth services support the ongoing delivery of EBPs via telehealth as well as their future expansion.