TY - JOUR
KW - Adult
KW - Community Networks/organization & administration
KW - Continuity of Patient Care/organization & administration
KW - Delivery of Health Care, Integrated
KW - Female
KW - Health Services Accessibility
KW - Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Mental Health Services/organization & administration
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Program Development
KW - Program Evaluation
KW - Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
KW - Quality of Health Care
KW - Quality of Life
KW - Questionnaires
KW - Recurrence/prevention & control
KW - Schizophrenia/prevention & control/therapy
KW - Taiwan
KW - Time Factors
AU - D. S. Tzeng
AU - L. C. Lian
AU - C. U. Chang
AU - C . Y. Yang
AU - G. T. Lee
AU - P. Pan
AU - F. W. Lung
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was designed to investigate the care-effectiveness of different healthcare models for schizophrenic patients and the impact of it on caregivers. METHODS: Sample cases were randomly selected from southern Taiwan, 257 patients in redesigned care network, including a general hospital, a chronic ward, 10 outpatient clinics, and multialternative community programs, was compared to 247 patients in other traditional healthcare provider that were utilized as the control group. The quality of life (QOL) questionnaire and the Chinese health questionnaire (CHQ) were used. RESULTS: The controls had longer duration of illness (p = 0.001) and were older (p = 0.004). The average resource utilization in the study group (US$ 2737/year, per case) was higher than the control group (US$ 2041) (t = 7.91, p < 0.001). For the study group, the average length of stay was shorter, but the admission rate was higher. The QOL of the patients in the study group was better than that of the controls (p = 0.01). The family burden of the study group was lower (p = 0.035) and the score of general health questionnaire higher (p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: We found that patients in the redesigned care network had a better QOL, lower family burden, decreased days of hospital stay, higher medical resource utilization and less frequent admission to a hospital, and the caregivers had better mental health. Although the costs were higher, the continued care network was more helpful in providing comprehensive mental illness services.
BT - BMC health services research
C5 - HIT & Telehealth
CY - England
DO - 10.1186/1472-6963-7-129
JF - BMC health services research
N2 - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was designed to investigate the care-effectiveness of different healthcare models for schizophrenic patients and the impact of it on caregivers. METHODS: Sample cases were randomly selected from southern Taiwan, 257 patients in redesigned care network, including a general hospital, a chronic ward, 10 outpatient clinics, and multialternative community programs, was compared to 247 patients in other traditional healthcare provider that were utilized as the control group. The quality of life (QOL) questionnaire and the Chinese health questionnaire (CHQ) were used. RESULTS: The controls had longer duration of illness (p = 0.001) and were older (p = 0.004). The average resource utilization in the study group (US$ 2737/year, per case) was higher than the control group (US$ 2041) (t = 7.91, p < 0.001). For the study group, the average length of stay was shorter, but the admission rate was higher. The QOL of the patients in the study group was better than that of the controls (p = 0.01). The family burden of the study group was lower (p = 0.035) and the score of general health questionnaire higher (p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: We found that patients in the redesigned care network had a better QOL, lower family burden, decreased days of hospital stay, higher medical resource utilization and less frequent admission to a hospital, and the caregivers had better mental health. Although the costs were higher, the continued care network was more helpful in providing comprehensive mental illness services.
PP - England
PY - 2007
SN - 1472-6963; 1472-6963
SP - 129
T1 - Healthcare in schizophrenia: effectiveness and progress of a redesigned care network
T2 - BMC health services research
TI - Healthcare in schizophrenia: effectiveness and progress of a redesigned care network
U1 - HIT & Telehealth
U2 - 17705853
U3 - 10.1186/1472-6963-7-129
VL - 7
VO - 1472-6963; 1472-6963
Y1 - 2007
ER -