Acceptability of telehealth CBT during the time of COVID-19: Evidence from patient treatment initiation and attendance records

Kristy Cuthbert; E Marie Parsons; Lisa Smith; Michael W Otto

doi:10.1016/j.jbct.2022.01.001

Acceptability of telehealth CBT during the time of COVID-19: Evidence from patient treatment initiation and attendance records

J Behav Cogn Ther. 2022 Mar;32(1):67-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jbct.2022.01.001. Epub 2022 Jan 7.

Authors

Kristy Cuthbert¹, E Marie Parsons¹, Lisa Smith¹, Michael W Otto¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 900 Commonwealth Avenue, Floor 2, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic provided unique conditions for examining outpatient psychotherapy clinics' rapid transition to telehealth. The current study utilized data from a large, specialty CBT clinic to investigate attendance and treatment engagement changes when services were provided via telehealth versus in-person. Results indicate that, following a complete transition to telehealth services, clinic referrals were maintained. Further, telehealth treatment appeared to be entirely acceptable as assessed by a decreased missed visit rate of telehealth appointments compared to in-person appointments. Given the elimination of commuting times, telehealth has the potential to address disparities in care linked to physical distance from the clinic and/or differential ability to take time off work for appointments.

Keywords: Acceptability; Attendance; CBT; Disparities; Telehealth.