Hospital care pathways for patients with schizophrenia.
Greater emphasis is being placed on reducing clinical variation in managing patient groups in the reformed National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK). The use of a care pathway to enable greater control over the process and quality of care will be explored for patients suffering from schizophrenia. The paper addresses three main factors for the development of care pathways for people suffering from schizophrenia: predictability of the illness; nature of standardized care; and role autonomy. It is argued that the diagnosis of schizophrenia does not lend itself easily to predicting care and treatment within a care pathway framework. However, a care pathway may bring other benefits, such as standardized care and a greater control over the delivery of care. Development and implementation of hospital care pathways require extensiv research. Qualitative research directions are advocated due to the possib difficulties of conducting an experimental study.
Jones
A
A
Department of Mental Health Studies, City University, London, UK.
D019090:Case Management; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000592:standards*; D019468:Disease Management; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000592:standards; D006113:United Kingdom