Care transition interventions in mental health

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Mental Health Services Research
• Patient Transition Care

Background:

• Effective patient transition from inpatient to outpatient care is a critical challenge in mental healthcare.
• Current models and initiatives in general and mental healthcare require review to improve patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing care transition models in general and mental healthcare.
• To propose a novel intervention framework for improving mental healthcare transitions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across online databases and archives.
• Categorization of identified interventions into general medical care models and mental health-specific models.
• Synthesis of findings to inform a proposed intervention framework.

Main Results:

• Two categories of care transition interventions were identified: general medical models adaptable to mental health, and limited mental health-specific models.
• Nine core components were proposed as essential elements for effective mental health care transition interventions.

Conclusions:

• While numerous care transition interventions exist for general medical populations, few are specifically tailored for mental health.
• A conceptual framework with core components can guide the development of targeted interventions for patients with serious mental illness.