[Cooperative model between psychiatric hospitals aiming at quality management of coercive measures]

OBJECTIVE Since 1996 three, meanwhile eight, psychiatric hospitals have been working closely together in a multidisciplinary team aiming at improving quality management and reducing the frequency and duration of coercive measures, respectively. METHODS Development, aims, and functioning of the cooperation are described, and selected data of comparisons of documented restraints and of coercive measures in one of the hospitals (1998-2004) are presented. RESULTS This way of cooperation was conductive to changes in organizational policies and practices of coercive measures and, in parts, resulted in reducing coercive measures. CONCLUSIONS The cooperation was effective in improving quality management and implementation of changes in practice of coercive measures.