Towards collaborative care for severe and enduring Anorexia Nervosa - a mixed-method approach.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders (SEED), particularly SEED-Anorexia Nervosa (SE-AN), are challenging psychiatric conditions with limited research and treatment guidelines.
• Effective care for SEED/SE-AN necessitates a structured, collaborative approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify challenges in SE-AN care within the Dutch healthcare system.
• To propose and implement a collaborative care treatment model for SE-AN.

Main Methods:

• A pragmatic mixed-methods approach involving patient and professional questionnaires, benchmarking of current practices, and expert interviews.
• Development and implementation of a collaborative care model based on findings and literature.

Main Results:

• Identified challenges include limited knowledge among network partners, patient treatment ambivalence, and poor professional collaboration.
• The proposed model promotes self-management, enhances collaborative relationships, provides practical guidance, and aims to stabilize patients, reduce relapses, and lower costs.
• The model integrates care across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

Conclusions:

• A collaborative care program for SE-AN was developed and implemented in a specialized treatment center.
• This initiative addresses critical care gaps for SEED/SE-AN, aiming to improve healthcare organization, reduce relapse rates, and lower costs for this patient group.
• Further research is needed to build upon these findings and validate the model's efficacy.