[Role of the clinic in follow-up of schizophrenic illnesses]

Abstract

Schizophrenics have the longest hospital stays and incur the greatest costs with respect to psychosocial care compared to other psychiatric patients. The present study focuses on the relevance of inpatient treatment during the course of schizophrenia with regard to specific symptom characteristics. In addition, the role of the hospital in partnership with local community health care facilities for the care of schizophrenic patients is described. Central aspects of hospitalisation, such as the circumstances of first admission, involuntary treatment, discharge planning, and provision for readmission are analysed and linked to our own data. Schizophrenic patients comprised the largest group of involuntarily treated patients and only 50% said they would return voluntarily to hospital if their symptoms recurred. On discharge from hospital, schizophrenic patients did not differ from other psychiatric patients with regard to their attitudes to hospitalisation. Improvement in both work and interpersonal skills was evident after first inpatient treatment. To provide better care for this group of patients, patient-oriented health provision services with individual attention, treatment and care planning are needed, in contrast to the more traditional hospital-oriented approaches that have been tending to give priority to institutional needs.