Evaluation of opening a type III/IV medical psychiatric unit

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of opening a medical psychiatric unit (MPU) on a variety of outcomes.

In this non-equivalent groups design, there were two groups: 'pre-MPU' and 'actual MPU'. Staff assessed whether patients in the pre-MPU group were eligible for admission to a planned MPU, resulting in virtual admissions and discharges. The actual MPU group consisted of patients admitted after opening of the MPU.

The length of stay (LOS) in the hospital was one day longer for patients in the MPU group (8.68 vs. 9.89, p = .004), but the LOS on the MPU was comparable in both groups (5.63 vs. 6.06, p = .231). The LOS on the intensive care unit (ICU) was longer in the MPU group (0.10 vs. 0.40, p < .001), even as the time patients were physically restraint (0.28 vs. 0.83, p < .001). In the pre-MPU group, the odds were not significantly different for involuntary commitment (OR = 0.92; p = .866) and death within six months after discharge (OR = 1.84; p = .196).

Both physical restraint and ICU admission have a link with patient complexity, it therefore seemed that opening of the MPU resulted in the treatment of more complex patients with a comparable LOS on the MPU.KEY POINTSThe LOS on the MPU was not significantly different between the groups before and after opening of the MPU.Opening of the MPU resulted in the admission of patients that were admitted more days to the ICU and to more days of physically restraint.It can be considered that opening of the MPU resulted in an increased ability to treat complex patients.