[Preventing recidivism: as easy as a phone call?]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health Services
• Suicidology

Background:

• Suicide remains a significant public health concern.
• Post-hospital care is crucial for preventing suicide recurrence.
• The VigilanS system emerged from a need for improved continuity of care for suicidal patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the VigilanS system in reducing suicide recidivism and mortality.
• To assess the potential for nationwide implementation of the VigilanS system.
• To determine the role of VigilanS within a broader suicide prevention strategy.

Main Methods:

• The VigilanS system implements a post-hospital follow-up care model.
• It involves a dedicated caregiving approach to maintain contact with at-risk individuals.
• Effectiveness is measured by reductions in recidivism and suicidal mortality rates.

Main Results:

• The VigilanS system demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing suicide recidivism.
• A notable decrease in suicidal mortality was observed in patients managed by the system.
• These positive outcomes have led to governmental support for wider adoption.

Conclusions:

• The VigilanS system represents a successful intervention for post-hospital suicide prevention.
• Its integration into national suicide prevention policies is recommended.
• The system's success underscores the importance of sustained care and multimodal prevention strategies.