Use of patient-controlled psychiatric hospital admissions: mental health professionals' perspective

AbstractBackground: In a patient-controlled admission (PCA) programme, the decision about hospital admission is made solely by the patient, with no gatekeeper function allocated to the mental health professionals (MHPs). Current knowledge about how MHPs experience and evaluate PCA is sparse.Aims: This Danish multi-centre study examined the MHP assessment of the PCA programme in daily clinical practice, and compared PCA evaluations made by MHPs and patients.Methods: A questionnaire was developed and a survey conducted over the course of a year at all Danish mental health units included in the PCA programme. MHPs made an overall evaluation of the PCA programme. At each unique PCA, both patient and MHP evaluated the specific admission when the patient entered the unit and at discharge.Results: In total, 546 questionnaires were included in the survey, based on 252 unique MHPs. The MHPs rated the PCA programme positively. The MHPs believed that PCA helped patients receive early help and avoid long admissions. ...