[Comparison of the responsibility spectrum of a community psychiatric emergency service and outpatient emergency care in a psychiatric clinic].

PURPOSE

The need for psychiatric crisis services is generally accepted. Additional to traditional crisis clinics which are located in general or psychiatric hospitals in recent years also special community crisis services were implemented. The question is whether there are differences in patients and type of care between traditional and new services.

METHODS

In this study empirical data are reported on reasons for contact, on patients and on interventions for a hospital based crisis clinic and a community crisis service. 132 service and 364 clinic contacts were recorded.

RESULTS

There were more neurotic patients in the community service and more psychotic patients in the clinic. In both services inpatient care had to be arranged in one third of the cases. In the hospital based crisis service fewer legal commitments were necessary. A speciality of the community crisis service is the possibility to look after patients in their homes.

CONCLUSION

Both services have similar features, but there are also differences which show that the new service offers new possibilities of care.