Impact of psychotherapy. Does it affect frequency of visits to family physicians?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether a course of psychotherapy with a psychologist affected the frequency of patients' visits to their family doctors.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of patients' medical records to determine the frequency of visits to their family doctors in the 6 months before psychotherapy, during therapy, and in the 6 months after therapy.


METHODS
A teaching family medical centre in London, Ont.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients who had completed a course of psychotherapy between 1984 and 1991.


METHODS
Psychotherapy was provided by two psychologists employed at the medical centre. Patients did not pay a direct fee. The median length of psychotherapy was 12.5 1-hour sessions, and the therapeutic approach was eclectic and humanistic.


METHODS
Frequency of visits to family physicians before, during, and after psychotherapy.


RESULTS
Frequency of visits to family doctors decreased both during and after psychotherapy. The decrease was especially apparent from before therapy to after therapy (49%, P < .001). Psychotherapy given by psychologists in a Canadian family medical centre appears to follow the pattern of the "offset effect," a reduction in medical use following psychotherapy, which has been demonstrated in other medical settings.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychotherapy can be an effective and efficient part of total medical care for patients with complex psychological problems.
Golden
G A
GA
Victoria Family Medical Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, Ontario.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003151:Community Health Centers; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009864:Ontario; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000592:standards*; D012189:Retrospective Studies