title: [Stepwise outpatient care].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess possible differences in clinical, social, care, and satisfaction profile of patients treated by outpatient clinics or office based psychiatrists.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample consists of 100 patients of a psychiatric outpatient clinic and 100 patients treated by office based psychiatrists in the same catchment area. Patients were examined using standardized assessment instruments for severity of illness (HoNOS, CGI), general (GAF) and specific functional impairment (PSP), and satisfaction with psychiatric services (ZUF-8). Chi-square tests, univariate ANOVAs and stepwise multivariate logistic regression models were applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with patients treated by office based psychiatrists, patients treated by the outpatient clinic showed higher HoNOS and CGI scores, lower GAF and PSP scores, and had more often a disability pension, a legal guardianship, a schizophrenia diagnosis, suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and therapeutic contacts. However, there were no significant differences regarding care satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The assessed outpatient clinic met the German statutory criteria for its legitimation. However, care needs have to be specified in a better way, and the different care intensity as well as concrete interventions between both settings have to be specified more accurately.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Psychiatrie Südwürttemberg, Universität Ulm, Abteilung Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie I.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valdes-Stauber
authors.affiliation: Bezirkskrankenhaus Kaufbeuren.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vietz
authors.affiliation: Universität Ulm, Sektion Gesundheitsökonomie und Versorgungsforschung, Abteilung Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie II am Bezirkskrankenhaus Günzburg.
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kilian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010824:Physicians' Offices / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011379:Prognosis; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology