The prescriptions of psychotropic medications in telepsychiatry: An online survey of psychiatrists in India

CONTEXT: Over the years, telepsychiatry services have expanded in many institutes. The Telemedicine Practice Guidelines and Telepsychiatry Operational Guidelines (TPOG) released in 2020 have been received by the fraternity with a mixture of apprehension, relief, and dissatisfaction on the list of drugs provided in Lists O, A, B, and C. Many psychiatrists have raised the issues of having a consensus in the formulation of List A. AIMS: To draw consensus on the medications that can be listed in Lists O, A, B, and C in TPOG-2020. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was an online survey with ethics approval by the Indian Psychiatric Society Ethics Review Board. All psychiatrists, who are members of the Indian Psychiatric Society and whose E-mail address was available with the society, were sent the survey link by E-mail. METHODOLOGY: Opinions and suggestions on Lists O, A, B, and C of TPOG-2020 and reasons for the suggestions were collected. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Frequency, percentages, mean, and standard deviation were calculated. T-test and Chi-square tests were used to see the influence of demographics on the concurrence of the lists. RESULTS: Responses from 340 responders were analyzed. Majority of the responders agreed that List O (277, 85.5%), List B (263, 82.4%), and List C (223, 69%) are apt except for List A (162, 50.3%). CONCLUSIONS: This online survey showed that majority of the responders agreed to the lists except for List A. The approach taken to include the medications in List A, which was to include the essential drugs, has various benefits. However, the lists are not final, and the results of this survey may become an impetus to modify the list in the next edition of TPOG.