Family Involvement in Psychiatric Hospitalizations: Associations With Discharge Planning and Prompt Follow-Up Care

What is it about?

Research has shown that individuals with serious mental illness benefit from family and support person involvement in their lives and care. This study examined medical records to document types of family/support person involvement during inpatient hospitalizations. When family/support persons visited patients, attended family therapy, or communicated with the inpatient staff about services available to families, patients received more comprehensive discharge planning (i.e. inpatient staff contacted their outpatient provider, scheduled an appointment, and forwarded a discharge summary to the aftercare provider). When inpatient staff contacted families and communicated with them about the patient's treatment and discharge plan, patients were more likely to attend post-discharge follow-up appointments in the community. These associations emphasize the importance of contacting families/support persons and communicating with them during a patient's inpatient hospitalization.

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