[The Alliance Programme: an integrated care pathway for patients with schizophrenia]

Experiences and results of implementation of an integrated care pathway (ICP) for patients with schizophrenia are described.

The participants of the ICP were the hospital psychiatry unit, the community mental health team and the social psychiatry unit. The article reviews the collaboration in connection with patient hospitalization and discharge. The study includes 224 patients, who fulfill the ICD 10 criteria for schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder. The patients were interviewed at admission to and discharge from the Psychiatric Department. During hospitalization, the staff filled in a check list establishing whether the established procedures were complied with in each individual case. The Outpatient Section filled in a similar check list. In addition, information from the local registry concerning the hospitalization pattern during the first 12 months after discharge was obtained.

As a result of the ICP, collaboration was stimulated. During the first year disagreement between sectors with regard to the degree of compliance with the introduced procedures during hospitalization was observed (p > 0.05). Disagreement concerning the degree of compliance with procedures at admission was observed throughout the observation period (p > 0.05). Neither frequency of re-hospitalization nor inpatient bed costs were significantly reduced.

ICP required considerable resource allocation, and the results of the effort were minimal. The ineffective initiatives were subsequently phased out.