Table 1 Randomized controlled trials involving video-based virtual house calls from physicians

Dorsey ER et al. [45]

Individuals with Parkinson disease

Randomized to (1) in-person care or (2) care via telemedicine

7 months

• Feasibility

• Virtual house calls were feasible

• Quality of life

• As effective as in-person care

Fortney JC et al. [46]

Individuals with depression

Randomized to practice-based or telemedicine-base collaborative care

18 months

• Clinical

• Telemedicine-based collaborative care yielded better outcomes for depressed patients

McCrossan B et al. [47]

Infants with congenital heart defects

Participants randomized to (1) videoconferencing support, (2) telephone support, or (3) control

10 weeks

• Acceptability

• Clinicians were more confident in treating patients in video visits vs. telephone

• Health care resource utilization

• Parents were satisfied with video visits

• Health care resource utilization was lower in videoconferencing group

Moreno FA et al. [48]

Hispanic adults with depression

Randomized to telemedicine care from a psychiatrist or usual care from a primary care physician

6 months

• Clinical

• All participants improved on clinical measures

• Quality of life

• Time to improvement was shorter in telemedicine group

Leon A et al. [49] *

Individuals with HIV

Randomized to (1) usual care of (2) Virtual Hospital care for one year, then crossed over after one year

2 years

• Clinical

• Satisfaction with Virtual Hospital was high

• Health care resource utilization

• Quality of life

• Satisfaction

• Clinical outcomes were similar for both groups

Ferrer-Roca O et al. [50]

Primary care patients referred for specialized care

Randomized to face-to-face hospital referral or telemedicine from specialist

6 months

• Quality of life

• Telemedicine care was comparable to face-to-face care

• Diagnosis and examination to start treatment were faster in the telemedicine group

Stahl JE, Dixon RF [51]

Patients in a general primary care practice

Interviewed face to face and via videoconferencing, order randomized

2 visits

• Satisfaction

• Patients and providers highly satisfied with videoconferencing but preferred face to face

• Willingness to pay

• Technical quality of video calls had significant impact on satisfaction

Dorsey ER et al. [52]

Individuals with Parkinson disease

Randomized to (1) usual care or (2) care via telemedicine

6 months

• Feasibility

• Virtual house calls were feasible

• Virtual house calls improved disease-specific measures significantly compared to usual care.

Dixon RF, Stahl JE [53]

Patients in a general primary care practice

Randomized to one virtual visit and one face to face visit, or two face to face visits.

2 visits

• Diagnostic agreement

• Physicians and patients highly satisfied with virtual visits

• Diagnostic agreement between virtual and in-person evaluation was similar to comparison of two in-person evaluations

• Satisfaction

Ahmed SN et al. [54]

Epilepsy patients

Randomized to telemedicine follow-up or conventional

1 visit

• Cost-effectiveness

• 90% of patients in both groups satisfied with quality of services

• Cost to patients and caregivers

• Cost of telemedicine production was similar to patient savings

• Satisfaction

Morgan GJ et al. [55]

Parents of children with severe congenital heart disease

Randomized to telephone or videoconferencing follow-up

6 weeks

• Anxiety

• Videoconferencing decreased anxiety levels compared to telephone and allowed better clinical information

• Clinical

O’Reilly R et al. [56]

Patients referred for psychiatric consult

Randomized to face to face or telepsychiatry

4 months

• Clinical

• Similar outcomes were seen in both arms

• Cost-effectiveness

• Telepsychiatry was at least 10% less expensive than in-person care

• Satisfaction

• Both groups expressed similar satisfaction

De Las Cuevas C et al. [57]

Psychiatric outpatients

Randomized to face to face or telepsychiatry

24 weeks

• Clinical

• Telepsychiatry had equivalent efficacy to face-to-face care

Ruskin PE et al. [58]

Veterans with depression

Randomized to telepsychiatry or in-person psychiatrist visits

6 months

• Clinical

• Both groups were equivalent in clinical outcomes, cost, patient adherence, and patient satisfaction.

• Cost-effectiveness

• Health care resource utilization

• Satisfaction

Bishop JE et al. [59]

Psychiatric patients

Randomized to videoconference or face to face

4 months

• Satisfaction

• Similar satisfaction observed in both groups