[Can psychiatric acute teams reduce acute admissions to psychiatric wards?].
BACKGROUND
Treatment by psychiatric acute teams - as an alternative to admission in psychiatric acute wards - has been introduced in Norway, based on positive experience in other countries. The effect of establishing such acute teams in Norway has not been studied. In January 2004, Notodden/Seljord Community Mental Health Centre established an acute team for one part of their catchment area.


METHODS
The material consists of information on the patients admitted to the acute ward in the psychiatric hospital Sykehuset Telemark from area 1 (with an acute team) and from area 2 (without an acute team) in 2003 and 2004, and on all patients treated by the acute team in 2004.


RESULTS
From 2004 to 2003, admissions to the acute ward at Sykehuset Telemark decreased by 25 % from Area 1 and by 13 % from Area 2. The acute team treated 22 patients, of whom five were admitted as in-patients at the community mental health centre. Most of the patients with psychosis or severe depression were admitted to the acute hospital ward.


CONCLUSIONS
An acute team in a well-staffed community mental health centre may contribute to less use of acute admissions to psychiatric wards by treating patients with moderately severe disorders, while patients with the most severe disorders are still admitted to acute psychiatric wards.
Kolbjørnsrud
Ole-Bjørn
OB
Notodden/Seljord DPS, Henrik Wergelands gate 9, 3675 Notodden, Norway. ole-bjorn.kolbjornsrud@sthf.no
Larsen
Frode
F
Elbert
Guro
G
Ruud
Torleif
T
D000328:Adult; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003419:Crisis Intervention / Q000458:organization & administration; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data