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. 2022 Jun 24:13:870984.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.870984. eCollection 2022.

COVID-19-Related Psychosocial Care in General Hospitals: Results of an Online Survey of Psychosomatic, Psychiatric, and Psychological Consultation and Liaison Services in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

Rainer Schaefert  1 , Barbara Stein  2 , Gunther Meinlschmidt  1   3   4 , Noa Roemmel  1 , Christian G Huber  5 , Urs Hepp  6 , Stéphane Saillant  7 , Christian Fazekas  8 , Frank Vitinius  9
Affiliations

COVID-19-Related Psychosocial Care in General Hospitals: Results of an Online Survey of Psychosomatic, Psychiatric, and Psychological Consultation and Liaison Services in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

Rainer Schaefert et al. Front Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was accompanied by new challenges for psychosocial health care to enable the support of affected patients, their families, and staff in general hospitals. In this study, we aimed to describe the structures and procedures put in place by psychosomatic, psychiatric, and psychological consultation and liaison (CL) services in German, Austrian, and Swiss general hospitals, and to elucidate the emerging needs for cooperation, networking, and improvement.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey between December 2020 and May 2021, using a 25-item questionnaire derived from relevant literature, professional experience, and consultation with the participating professional societies. The survey was disseminated via national professional societies, relevant working and interest groups, and heads of the above-mentioned CL services.

Results: We included responses from 98 CL services in the analyses, with a total response rate of 55% of surveyed hospital CL services; 52 responses originated from Germany, 20 from Austria, and 26 from Switzerland. A total of 77 (79%) of the 98 responding CL services reported that "COVID-19-related psychosocial care" (COVID-psyCare) was provided in their hospital. Among these, 47 CL services (61%) indicated that specific cooperation structures for COVID-psyCare had been established within the hospital. A total of 26 CL services (34%) reported providing specific COVID-psyCare for patients, 19 (25%) for relatives, and 46 (60%) for staff, with 61, 12, and 27% of time resources invested for these target groups, respectively. Regarding emerging needs, 37 (48%) CL services expressed wishes for mutual exchange and support regarding COVID-psyCare, and 39 (51%) suggested future changes or improvements that they considered essential.

Conclusion: More than three-quarters of the participating CL services provided COVID-psyCare for patients, their relatives, or staff. The high prevalence of COVID-psyCare services targeting hospital staff emphasizes the liaison function of CL services and indicates the increased psychosocial strain on health care personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future development of COVID-psyCare warrants intensified intra- and interinstitutional exchange and support.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04753242, version 11 February 2021.

Keywords: COVID-19; consultation and liaison service; general hospital; psychiatry; psychosocial care; psychosomatics; staff support; stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flow chart.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Involvement in the somatic care of COVID-19 patients. (A) Maximum level of involvement of the hospitals (n = 98) in the somatic care of COVID-19 patients since the beginning of the pandemic. (B) Extent the hospitals (n = 98) were maximally occupied regarding the somatic care of COVID-19 patients.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Structures developed for the somatic care of COVID-19 patients. (A) Hospital wards and units for the treatment of COVID-19 patients (n = 98). (B) Special structures for somatic care related to COVID-19 established in the hospitals (n = 98).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Partners involved in cooperation structures for COVID-psyCare (relative frequencies, n = 77 CL services with COVID-psyCare, multiple answers possible).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Maximum availability of psychosocial care for COVID-19 patients in terms of time (multiple answers possible).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Maximum burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial teams (59 entries, absolute frequencies).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Needs and requests for the future. (A) Specification of required exchange/support regarding COVID-psyCare (n = 37). (B) Specification of changes/improvements that are considered essential for the future with regard to psychosocial care services in one's hospital in the COVID-19 context (n = 39).
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References

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