Aim: This cross-sectional study attempted to identify factors associated with clinicians' dispositions of patients after the first visit in an out-patient psychiatric department. Methods: Over a 33-month period, all new episodes of care with the department were included in the study. For each patient, socio-demographic, clinical information and contact characteristics were prospectively collected in relation to the first visit, as was information on case disposition. Factors associated with clinicians' disposition were analysed. Results: Of the 1,138 patients who met the study criteria, 848 (75%) were followed up by the department, 150 (13%) were referred to other services and 140 (12%) were discharged. Suffering from a major psychiatric disorder, being younger and not living in an institution influenced clinicians' disposition to follow-up patients. Older age increased the chances of being referred to other services rather than discharged. Conclusions: Examining decision-making behaviour in out-patient psychiatric departments is a worthwhile endeavour because this setting represents the main entry point of modern and accessible community-based systems of care. The findings confirmed the importance of psychiatric determinants in the dispositional process and contribute to make clinicians more aware of other factors related to their decision-making. © Steinkopff Verlag Darmstadt 2006.

Factors associated with clinicians' dispositions in an out-patient psychiatric department

ROSSI, Alberto;SANDRI, Marco;TANSELLA, Michele;AMADDEO, Francesco
2006-01-01

Abstract

Aim: This cross-sectional study attempted to identify factors associated with clinicians' dispositions of patients after the first visit in an out-patient psychiatric department. Methods: Over a 33-month period, all new episodes of care with the department were included in the study. For each patient, socio-demographic, clinical information and contact characteristics were prospectively collected in relation to the first visit, as was information on case disposition. Factors associated with clinicians' disposition were analysed. Results: Of the 1,138 patients who met the study criteria, 848 (75%) were followed up by the department, 150 (13%) were referred to other services and 140 (12%) were discharged. Suffering from a major psychiatric disorder, being younger and not living in an institution influenced clinicians' disposition to follow-up patients. Older age increased the chances of being referred to other services rather than discharged. Conclusions: Examining decision-making behaviour in out-patient psychiatric departments is a worthwhile endeavour because this setting represents the main entry point of modern and accessible community-based systems of care. The findings confirmed the importance of psychiatric determinants in the dispositional process and contribute to make clinicians more aware of other factors related to their decision-making. © Steinkopff Verlag Darmstadt 2006.
2006
Decision-making; Mental health Service; Out-patient care; Patient selection; Psychiatric care; Service evaluation;
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11562/303502
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