Hospitalization cost of conventional psychiatric care compared to broad-spectrum micronutrient treatment: literature review and case study of adult psychosis.
BACKGROUND
Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, with mental health treatment amongst the most expensive, especially when hospitalization is involved. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, one in five Canadians is living with a mental disorder in any given year, at an annual cost of $50 billion. In light of this societal burden, alternative approaches are being evaluated, such as brief psychotherapy by phone, peer support, and, as part of the emerging field of nutritional mental health, treatment with micronutrients (minerals and vitamins). Effectiveness of micronutrients has been demonstrated for many types of psychiatric symptoms, in about 45 studies of formulas that are either multinutrient (e.g., several B vitamins) or broad-spectrum (usually over 20 minerals and vitamins). Although this literature demonstrates therapeutic benefits, the potential economic impact of micronutrient treatment has been evaluated in only one case study of childhood psychosis.


METHODS
The current case study was initiated to evaluate mental health-related hospitalization costs from 1997 to 2003 for a female adult diagnosed with various mood and psychotic symptoms. She was treated for the first 5 years with conventional methods and then subsequently with a broad-spectrum micronutrient formula.


RESULTS
The patient's annual mental health hospitalization costs during conventional treatment averaged $59,864 across 5 years (1997-2001), with a peak annual cost of about $140,000. Since transitioning to broad-spectrum micronutrients, she has incurred no provincial hospitalization costs for mental health care, though her self-funded costs are currently $720/year for the micronutrients.


CONCLUSIONS
Further exploration of the treatment of mental health problems with broad-spectrum micronutrient formulas has the potential to make two significant contributions: improved mental health, and decreased costs for governments.
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Bonnie J
BJ
Kaplan
Centre for Excellence in Economic Analysis Research, St. Michael's Hospital and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Wanrudee
W
Isaranuwatchai
Centre for Excellence in Economic Analysis Research, St. Michael's Hospital and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.|Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, USA.
Jeffrey S
JS
Hoch
Mental healthcare utilization costs; Nutrient treatment; Psychosis