title: Transitional interventions to reduce early psychiatric readmissions in adults: systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Up to 13% of psychiatric patients are readmitted shortly after discharge. Interventions that ensure successful transitions to community care may play a key role in preventing early readmission.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe and evaluate interventions applied during the transition from in-patient to out-patient care in preventing early psychiatric readmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review of transitional interventions among adults admitted to hospital with mental illness where the study outcome was psychiatric readmission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The review included 15 studies with 15 non-overlapping intervention components. Absolute risk reductions of 13.6 to 37.0% were observed in statistically significant studies. Effective intervention components were: pre- and post-discharge patient psychoeducation, structured needs assessments, medication reconciliation/education, transition managers and in-patient/out-patient provider communication. Key limitations were small sample size and risk of bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many effective transitional intervention components are feasible and likely to be cost-effective. Future research can provide direction about the specific components necessary and/or sufficient for preventing early psychiatric readmission.
authors: Women's College Hospital and Women's College Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 76 Grenville Street Rm. 956, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1B2. simone.vigod@wchospital.ca
authors: Simone N
authors: SN
authors: Vigod
authors: Paul A
authors: PA
authors: Kurdyak
authors: Cindy-Lee
authors: CL
authors: Dennis
authors: Talia
authors: T
authors: Leszcz
authors: Valerie H
authors: VH
authors: Taylor
authors: Daniel M
authors: DM
authors: Blumberger
authors: Dallas P
authors: DP
authors: Seitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D059065:Medication Reconciliation; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D014481:United States