High utilisers of emergency departments: the profile and journey of patients with mental health issues

CONCLUSION: The study revealed a disintegrated service system for ED high utilisers with mental health issues, resulting in suboptimal clinical outcomes and substantial costs. To deliver value-based mental healthcare our lessons were; (1) stabilise the system's interaction with the patient by ensuring service responses are consistent with their enhanced management plan (2) all the system's parts channel the patient into various support services including psychological treatment with one therapist.KEY POINTSThe top 200 high utilisers presented to emergency 1928 times within 12 monthsThe re-presentation rate amongst the study's cohort was high (70% within 28 days)A high prevalence of BPD and schizophrenia was noted for this cohortThe study reveals a disintegrated service system for ED high utilisers, resulting in suboptimal clinical outcomes and substantial costs for the serviceA need for early identification, consistency in service responses and various support services to be provided by the hospital including psychological treatment.PMID:33945750 | DOI:10.1080/13651501.2021.1904998
Source: International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Source Type: research