Effect of coercive measures on treatment outcome in involuntarily admitted patients in Amsterdam.

Objective: The prevalence of involuntary admissions rose the last forty years in European countries, including the Netherlands. Involuntary admissions result in seclusion, physical restraint and forced medication in approximately 40% of patients. We looked at whether treatment outcomes differ in patients with and without coercive measures. Methods: Using The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) to measure treatment outcomes, we studied the files of 786 patients admitted involuntarily to an Amsterdam clinic. We applied Generalised Linear Models to determine whether the use, or not, of coercive measures during treatment was associated with a difference in outcomes. Results: 19% of the cohort were secluded in a High Security Room (HSR); 24% were secluded in their own room and/or received forced medication. After adjustment for the influence of diagnosis, disorder severity (initial HoNOS score) and treatment duration, the HSR group had, on average, a HoNOS difference score that was 2.4 points lower than patients without coercive measures (CI -4.0 to -0.8.; p 0.003). In the seclusion in own room group, this score was 2.6 points lower (CI -4.0 to -1.1; p 0.001), corresponding to an effect size of 0.35 and 0.40, respectively. Conclusion: Seclusion, whether or not in combination with forced medication, was applied to two-fifths of patients. The HoNOS scores of the group without coercion improved by nearly two and a half points more on average than those of the two groups with coercion. A causal relationship between coercion and treatment outcome could neither be confirmed nor excluded on the basis of our results.

[Treatment effect of an urban acute psychiatric clinic: a prospective cohort study]. / Behandeleffect van een grootstedelijke acute opnamekliniek: een prospectief cohortonderzoek.

BACKGROUND: A clinical admission is a frightening event, especially in a crisis situation, and above all when it comes with legal measures. The effectiveness of an acute crisis admission has been demonstrated in a Cochrane review, but cohort studies of a clinic setting are not yet available. AIM: To assess and determine the treatment effects after a crisis admission in a metropolitan acute psychiatric clinic of patients with severe mental illness (SMI patients). METHOD: In the context of routine outcome monitoring, the 12 HoNOS scores at admission and discharge (pre- and post-measurements) were rated by clinicians. The data of 1423 patients were analyzed by a statistician. RESULTS: The crisis admissions have a substantial positive clinical effect: 76 percent of the patients improved, 16 percent was stable and 10 percent worsened (effect size ES = 1.2). The patients improved most in regard to psychotic problems, aggressiveness and social problems. This applies equally to patients who have been admitted voluntarily, as well as to patients with a legal measure. The admission duration of patients is two months, except for patients with compulsory treatment (seclusion, sedation, forced medication). In this case the treatment duration prolongs to three months. CONCLUSION: Acute short-term clinical admission is an effective part of the clinical and outpatient treatment chain for patients with severe mental illness (SMI). A substantial treatment effect is achieved by the crisis admission. These findings are an important addition to the Cochrane review.

Return to work after sick leave due to depression; a conceptual analysis based on perspectives of patients, supervisors and occupational physicians.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the most important factors facilitating a return to work after sick leave due to depression from the perspectives of patients, supervisors and occupational physicians. METHODS: Concept mapping was used to develop a conceptual framework. Using purposive sampling, 32 participants representing Employees, supervisors and occupational physicians, were asked to formulate statements on what enables patients with sick leave due to depression to return to work. A total of 41 participants rated and grouped the statements. Data were analyzed using the statistical program Ariadne. RESULTS: The concept mapping yielded 60 statements that consisted of promoting factors for return to work. Based on these statements, three meta-clusters and eight clusters were identified. The three meta-clusters consisted of work-related, person-related and healthcare- related clusters. The work-related meta-cluster comprised of "Adaptation of work", "Understanding and support in the workplace" and "Positive work experiences". The person- related meta-cluster encompassed "Positive and valid self-perception", "Competence in self management", "Positive level of energy", and "Balanced home/work environment". The healthcare-related meta-cluster was composed of "Supportive healthcare". Stakeholder groups differ in opinion, in what they see as most important for return to work. LIMITATIONS: The low number of participants and the high educational level of participants are a limitation for generalization of the findings. CONCLUSIONS: The study generated different statements that stakeholders consider important for return to work after sick leave due to depression. These findings can be used as a checklist for coordination of the return to work process. Differences in opinion regarding what stakeholders see as most important for return to work should receive special consideration during the re-integration process.

The EFQM excellence model: European and Dutch experiences with the EFQM approach in health care. European Foundation for Quality Management.

One way to meet the challenges in creating a high performance organization in health care is the approach of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). The Foundation is in the tradition of the American Malcolm Baldrige Award and was initiated by the European Commission and 14 European multi-national organizations in 1988. The essence of the approach is the EFQM Model, which can be used as a self-assessment instrument on all levels of a health care organization and as an auditing instrument for the Quality Award. In 1999 the EFQM Model was revised but its principles remained the same. In The Netherlands many health care organizations apply the EFQM Model. In addition to improvement projects, peer review of professional practices, accreditation and certification, the EFQM Approach is used mainly as a framework for quality management and as a conceptualization for organizational excellence. The Dutch National Institute for Quality, the Instituut Nederlandse Kwaliteit, delivers training and supports self-assessment and runs the Dutch quality award programme. Two specific guidelines for health care organizations, 'Positioning and Improving' and 'Self-Assessment', have been developed and are used frequently. To illustrate the EFQM approach in The Netherlands, the improvement project of the Jellinek Centre is described. The Jellinek Centre conducted internal and external assessments and received in 1996, as the first health care organization, the Dutch Quality Prize.

Addicted to quality--winning the Dutch Quality Award based on the EFQM Model.

The Jellinek Center is a treatment service for prevention, care and cure of clients with addiction problems. Ten years ago the first quality improvement program was started. In 1994 the management team did the first formal self-assessment based on the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Model and three assessors from the "Instituut Nederlandse Kwaliteit" audited the Jellinek and delivered a feedback report which was used to make an elaborate two-year work-plan. Five projects to improve the quality of the Jellinek Center were identified and carried out. After two years, the work-plan was evaluated and the improvements assessed through a self-assessment conducted by the management team and an external audit team made up of six assessors. The findings of the self-assessment were presented to the Dutch jury for the EFQM Award and the Jellinek Center won the Dutch Quality Award. The Jellinek is not complacent, however, as it recognises that the next phase of the quality management journey is to carry out self-assessment in all teams, redesign the treatment processes and improve performance measurements.

EFQM approach and the Dutch Quality Award.

Different approaches to improve quality are used in organizations delivering health care. Donabedian introduced structure, process and outcome, from which other approaches like self-assessment, accreditation, visitation, International Standards Organisation (ISO) and European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) can be aligned. The EFQM model is one such approach that has been adopted and adapted by the Dutch Institute for Quality Management. This article describes the background and progress relating to the use of the EFQM business excellence model within Dutch health care organizations. In addition the process for applying for the European Quality Award and the Dutch Quality Award are described in detail. Finally, the reader is enlightened regarding the work of the European ExPeRT research group who are promoting the use of quality models within health care.