1. Home Treatment for Acute Mental Health Care: Protocol for the Financial Outputs, Risks, Efficacy, Satisfaction Index and Gatekeeping of Home Treatment (FORESIGHT) Study
- Author
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Emilio Bolla, Maddalena Alippi, Maria Caiata-Zufferey, Giuseppina Larghi, Severino Cordasco, Wolfram Kawohl, Sara Levati, Raffaella Ada Colombo, Emiliano Soldini, Mario Lucchini, Luca Crivelli, Zefiro Mellacqua, Emiliano Albanese, Angela Lisi, Rafael Traber, Simona Rossa, Levati, S, Mellacqua, Z, Caiata-Zufferey, M, Soldini, E, Albanese, E, Alippi, M, Bolla, E, Colombo, R, Cordasco, S, Kawohl, W, Larghi, G, Lisi, A, Lucchini, M, Rossa, S, Traber, R, and Crivelli, L
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medicine.medical_specialty ,home treatment ,economic ,efficacy ,acute mental healthcare ,home visits ,Intervention (counseling) ,medicine ,Protocol ,community-based ,risk ,Service (business) ,Home visit ,business.industry ,Mental health service ,Public health ,public health ,General Medicine ,home ,mental health services ,Focus group ,Mental health ,Gatekeeping ,accessibility ,crisis ,Crisi ,Family medicine ,Economic evaluation ,crisis resolution ,business ,home care ,risks ,mental health ,Qualitative research - Abstract
Background Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment (CRHT) teams represent a community-based mental health service offering a valid alternative to hospitalization. CRHT teams have been widely implemented in various mental health systems worldwide, and their goal is to provide care for people with severe acute mental disorders who would be considered for admission to acute psychiatric wards. The evaluation of several home-treatment experiences shows promising results; however, it remains unclear which specific elements and characteristics of CRHT are more effective and acceptable. Objective This study aims to assess the acceptability, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of a new CRHT intervention in Ticino, Southern Switzerland. Methods This study includes an interventional, nonrandomized, quasi-experimental study combined with a qualitative study and an economic evaluation to be conducted over a 48-month period. The quasi-experimental evaluation involves two groups: patients in the northern area of the region who were offered the CRHT service (ie, intervention group) and patients in the southern area of the region who received care as usual (ie, control group). Individual interviews will be conducted with patients receiving the home treatment intervention and their family members. CRHT members will also be asked to participate in a focus group. The economic evaluation will include a cost-effectiveness analysis. Results The project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation as part of the National Research Program NRP74 for a period of 48 months starting from January 2017. As of October 2021, data for the nonrandomized, quasi-experimental study and the qualitative study have been collected, and the results are expected to be published by the end of the year. Data are currently being collected for the economic evaluation. Conclusions Compared to other Swiss CRHT experiences, the CRHT intervention in Ticino represents a unique case, as the introduction of the service is backed by the closing of one of its acute wards. The proposed study will address several areas where there are evidence gaps or contradictory findings relating to the home treatment of acute mental crisis. Findings from this study will allow local services to improve their effectiveness in a challenging domain of public health and contribute to improving access to more effective care for people with severe mental disorders. Trial Registration ISRCTN registry ISRCTN38472626; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN38472626 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/28191
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- 2021