[Ambulatory psychotherapy management (as exemplified by Urban-Basel and Rural-Basel cantons)]

In 1977 a cantonal regulation for the independent practice of psychotherapists, the first in Switzerland, came into effect in Basel-Stadt and Baselland. In 1982 psychologists with a postgraduate formation in psychotherapy were surveyed with a first questionnaire. A second such questionnaire has been sent out in 1988 of which the results are presented here. In Basel-Stadt (about 190,000 inhabitants) about 64 psychologists and 104 psychiatrists in private practice provide psychotherapeutic services for outpatients. In Baselland (about 233,000 inhabitants) the number of psychotherapists is roughly one fourth, indicating the center function of the city with regard to psychotherapeutic services. In the two cantons a total of 4,800 weekly therapy sessions are provided. This amounts to a sharp increase of psychotherapeutic services rendered. Inspite of an often heard trend toward group therapy individual therapies dominate with 82%. The postgraduate therapeutic formation of psychiatrists and psychologists continues to be dominated by psychoanalyticly oriented schools. The clients served by psychologists do not differ dramatically from those of psychiatrists: Mainly neuroses, psychosomatic diseases and neurotic depressions are treated, only a few addictions and psychogeriatric problems. 80% of the psychiatrists judge the effect of the regulation positively. The cooperation between psychologists and psychiatrists is closer than generally assumed. Finally some fundamental questions about the psychotherapeutic maintenance are discussed.