Exploration of telehealth delivery modes and therapeutic alliance within an allied health student-led clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of different telehealth modes on therapeutic alliance between student health practitioners and patients in a student-led telehealth clinic, and to compare patient reports of therapeutic alliance with that previously published. METHODS: Telehealth sessions between student health practitioners and patients were delivered via video, telephone, or a combination. 299 (n) patient and student pairings reported therapeutic alliance using a modified Working Alliance Inventory for General Practice. Linear regressions and t-tests were conducted. RESULTS: The 299 pairings identified that therapeutic alliance can be developed and maintained in this context. Telephone based approaches yielded higher patient scores for the bond and goal domains. Students provided lower scores than patients across all domains and telehealth modes. Patients reported higher scores than those from a previously published study. CONCLUSION: Telephone interactions may yield greater therapeutic alliance than video conference or mixed approaches. Therapeutic alliance can successfully be developed in the context of a student-led telehealth clinic. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: To consider how student-led clinics may become part of health service provision since patient ratings of students and general health practitioners is comparable.