Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy in a private psychiatric office: clinical and cost effectiveness.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the cost and clinical effectiveness of psychiatrist-provided Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) of patients referred to a private office.


METHODS
ISTDP was provided to 89 patients referred to a private psychiatric office in Vancouver, Canada. Pretherapy self-report scores, (BDI, BAI, BSI, IIP [see full names in text]) medication costs, disability costs and healthcare costs were compared with posttherapy values and normative values.


RESULTS
Patients' mean self-report scores went from the abnormal to normal range after an average of 14.9 hours of therapy. Returns to work, reduced healthcare utilization, and medication stopping accounted for a cost reduction of over Cdn$400,000 at one year after therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
ISTDP appears to be an effective and cost-effective form of intervention when provided by a psychiatrist in a private office. Randomized controlled studies are warranted to further examine the cost benefits and efficacy of ISTDP.
Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, 9215-5909 Veterans Memorial Lane, Halifax, NS, B3H 2E2. allan.abbass@dal.ca
Allan
A
Abbass
D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011331:Private Practice / Q000191:economics*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000191:economics*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000191:economics*; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013997:Time Factors