[Experiences and materials on internal sectorization of large psychiatric hospitals]

The city of Bremen is divided into 5 catchment areas ("sectors") for the care of psychiatric patients. Internal sectorization of the mental hospital was introduced by relating certain wards to certain catchment areas. The development of internal sectorization and its impact on the diagnostic and therapeutic work in the hospital as well as on the cooperation with external services is described. Some data on patient flows are given. In addition we report on the results of an inquiry in psychiatric hospitals regarding sectorization and other forms of community oriented psychiatric care in the Federal Republic of Germany. The literature on sectorization as one principle of community psychiatry is overviewed.