[Deinstitutionalization of long-stay psychiatric patients in upper Austria -- utilization of healthcare resources and costs of outpatient care].
OBJECTIVE
The study was intended to evaluate the therapeutic and healthcare services utilized by 116 former long-stay patients after an average of 42.9 months of deinstitutionalization during a follow-up time of (1/2) year and to calculate the costs thus incurred.


METHODS
116 patients and their caregivers were interviewed during a period of 6 months using the German version of the Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory.


RESULTS
On average, 3.3 institutions/facilities were contacted per patient, most often by younger patients living in group homes and least often by patients in psychiatric nursing homes. During the 6-month follow-up time costs of euro 14,665 were incurred per patient. Of these costs, 87.2 % were for the residential facilities. The costs of outpatient care accounted for 41.4 % of the costs that would have been incurred for inpatient care in a psychiatric hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
Deinstitutionalization of psychiatric long-stay patients in Upper Austria provided for considerable reductions in costs while maintaining a high quality of care.
Haberfellner
Egon Michael
EM
Pro Mente Oberösterreich. haberfellnerem@promenteooe.at
Grausgruber
Alfred
A
Grausgruber-Berner
Rosemarie
R
Ortmair
Margarethe
M
Schöny
Werner
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001317:Austria; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017046:Cost Savings; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006300:Health Services Misuse / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000191:economics; D012112:Residential Facilities / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014600:Utilization Review