About this Research Topic
The aim of this Research Topic is to a) reflect on new models of care and b) compare how the institutionally difficult question of combing in- and outpatient-service is solved in the psychiatric care systems in different European countries.
At least for chronic and severe psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, continuous care, a care planning over lifetime, and a stable relationship between patient and case-manager are of utmost importance. Thus, these are necessary goals for any psychiatric care. On the other hand, in many European health systems different institutions, like hospitals, community services, or consultants in a provide setting, exist beside each other and play an “autonomous” role, sometimes not even sharing case histories. This hinders to meet the goals given above. The reasons for this problem grew out of the historic development of social and medical care, and, more often, reflect general features of the very special social legislation of a country and the general structure of health care (private-public, combined social care or separate medical systems and so on). Thus, it is expected that each European country shows highly individual modes of applying help to the patients.
Since these differences are broadly discussed in the social psychiatric and epidemiological research in the last four decades, one could expect that over the years the positive aspects of each national system will be taken into account while applying changes to a national psychiatric health care system. One could further expect that there will be a picture of more homogenous concepts throughout European countries when analyzing new approaches implemented during the last years. Discussing new models of psychiatric care across the continent, we should like to prove these expected lines of development, or find out reasons which lead to different results even though there is growing evidence how psychiatric help should be given.
In this Research Topic, we will especially focus on the interface between in- and outpatient-care, being the “cornerstone” of the quality of a psychiatric care system. Analyzing changes of management of this interface in different countries, for example “Modellprojekte” in Germany, will give further insights to answer the question if there is a growing understanding of patients´ needs across the borders.
At least for chronic and severe psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, continuous care, a care planning over lifetime, and a stable relationship between patient and case-manager are of utmost importance. Thus, these are necessary goals for any psychiatric care. On the other hand, in many European health systems different institutions, like hospitals, community services, or consultants in a provide setting, exist beside each other and play an “autonomous” role, sometimes not even sharing case histories. This hinders to meet the goals given above. The reasons for this problem grew out of the historic development of social and medical care, and, more often, reflect general features of the very special social legislation of a country and the general structure of health care (private-public, combined social care or separate medical systems and so on). Thus, it is expected that each European country shows highly individual modes of applying help to the patients.
Since these differences are broadly discussed in the social psychiatric and epidemiological research in the last four decades, one could expect that over the years the positive aspects of each national system will be taken into account while applying changes to a national psychiatric health care system. One could further expect that there will be a picture of more homogenous concepts throughout European countries when analyzing new approaches implemented during the last years. Discussing new models of psychiatric care across the continent, we should like to prove these expected lines of development, or find out reasons which lead to different results even though there is growing evidence how psychiatric help should be given.
In this Research Topic, we will especially focus on the interface between in- and outpatient-care, being the “cornerstone” of the quality of a psychiatric care system. Analyzing changes of management of this interface in different countries, for example “Modellprojekte” in Germany, will give further insights to answer the question if there is a growing understanding of patients´ needs across the borders.
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