Psychosomatic Inpatient Treatment Achieves in the Medium Term Sustainable Clinical Improvement as well as a Reduction in Utilization of Medical Services-Results of a one-year follow-up

Abstract

Background

The research on sustainability of effectiveness of inpatient psychosomatic treatment is necessary for epidemiological and economic reasons as well as towards their legitimacy.

Objectives and aims

To investigate whether the achieved clinical improvement by the inpatient treatment continues one year after discharge and whether the utilization of medical services display a significant reduction post-discharge compared to the year before admission.

Methods

Naturalistic 1 year follow-up study of a cohort (n = 122). Three measuring time points: T1 (discharge), T2 (6 months after discharge; drop-out rate about 33%), T3 (12 months after discharge; drop-out rate about 49%). Assessment by means of standardized tests of changes in clinical variables, self-efficacy, quality of life, and personality between discharge and one year after discharge. Utilization variables (hospital days, days of incapacity, medication and doctor visits) were compared with ranges in the year before admission.

Results

Improvements at discharge in general functionality, psychological and somatic stress, depressiveness, bitterness level, quality of life and self-efficacy remain one year after discharge sustainably. Furthermore, hospital days, days of incapacity, number of doctor visits and of prescribed drugs decreased significantly in comparison with the year prior to admission.

Conclusions

Inpatient psychotherapy is effective not only in short-term but also in medium-term. One year after discharge clinically improvement at discharge time-point remains stable and the utilization of medical services decreased significantly. Longer periods of observation, identification of risk groups and of resilient prognostic factors, as well as ensuring post-discharge care are necessary in order to prevent relapses and to made early interventions.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.