Interface Between Primary Care and Specialist Mental Health Care - the Referral Letters
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Mental Disorders
- Sponsor
- Helse Fonna
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Length of stay
- Status
- Withdrawn
- Last Updated
- 6 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The main object to this trial is to study the function of referral letters as a mean to coordinate the care process for adult people when referred from Primary Care to Specialised Mental Health Care. The study will explore if and to what degree the quality of these referral letters can be improved, and the potential improvement's impact on defined patient-, professional and organisational related outcomes. According to Medical Research Council guidelines for evaluating complex interventions, a stepwise design with the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to conduct a controlled intervention study.
Detailed Description
The study is based on a stepwise progression including four steps. Within step one group interview with four mixed groups of health professionals (both Primary and Specialised Care), patient representatives and managers will be conducted. The groups will give input on firstly, what information they think is important to include in the referral letters, and secondly, what impact they think improved referral letters can have for the organisation and care within Specialised Mental Health Care. Within step two a validated check-list to assess the quality of referral letters will be developed. Within step three outcome measures will be developed and tested. Both step two and three will make use of the results from step one in addition to existing literature and testing. Step four is the intervention study where measures from the former steps will be used.
Investigators
Miriam Hartveit
PhD-student
Helse Fonna
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Referral letters send from a GP to Public Specialised Mental Health Care
- •Referrals for elective assessment or treatment
Exclusion Criteria
- •Referral letters send from other health personnel
- •Referrals for acute care (within 24 hours)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Length of stay
Time Frame: Day of discharge assessed up to six months
From date of admission or onset of out-patient treatment until date of discharge (documented in Electronic Patient Record as end of treatment periode), assessed up to six months from admission.
Secondary Outcomes
- Response time for referral letters in Specialised Mental Health Care(Referral letters will be followed for the duration of the assessment and prioritation process until response letter is sent, an expected avarage of 10 days.)