Characteristics of admissions to a recently opened Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre.
OBJECTIVE
The Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre (PECC) is a relatively recent service development that aims to improve emergency care of psychiatric patients. The goal of this paper was to report on the characteristics of admissions to a recently established PECC.


METHODS
Several key characteristics of admissions to the PECC were documented for each of 376 patients in the first 6 months of its operation. These characteristics were then compared to the characteristics of admissions of 299 patients in the 'virtual' PECC (a PECC within the general emergency department) in the 6 months prior to the opening of the PECC.


RESULTS
The most common presenting symptom in the PECC was suicidal ideation (47.6%, n = 179) and the most frequent diagnosis made in the PECC was adjustment disorder (35.9%, n = 135). When comparing admissions to the 'virtual' PECC, PECC admissions were characterized by a significantly less frequent use of physical restraint and haloperidol and midazolam as pro re nata (prn) medications.


CONCLUSIONS
Although further study is needed, one possible advantage of the PECC may be a less frequent use of physical restraint and certain prn medications (i.e. haloperidol and midazolam) for agitated and aggressive patients.
Brakoulias
Vlasios
V
Discipline of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School-Nepean, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. vbrakoulias@bigpond.com
Mandali
Rama
R
Seymour
Joanne
J
Sammut
Peter
P
Starcevic
Vladan
V
D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008874:Midazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D055815:Young Adult
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D006220:Haloperidol; D008874:Midazolam