[Who benefits from the night clinic? - Value of a part-time treatment facility]

The night clinic which is part of the psychiatric department of the University of Zurich is a part-time treatment option with psychiatric treatment and support in the evening. This study aimed to characterize the patients and detect different functions of the treatment setting.

Data of 253 patients covering a six-year period from 2008 up to 2013 were retrospectively assessed using descriptive methods. Subgroups according to the situation before admission and after discharge were compared.

Patients admitted from home differed considerably from those who were transferred from a psychiatric ward concerning sociodemographic and clinical factors. They were more frequently single, unemployed, received disability funds and suffered from a psychotic disorder. They were also more likely to be discharged in a supported housing condition.

The night clinic serves as an alternative to full inpatient treatment for individuals who have work as well as a rehabilitative option for homeless patients with severe mental illness. It contributes to a reduction of avoidance of inpatients stays for those groups of patients.