Practical experience of outpatient psychotherapy unit
The authors focus on the importance of starting outpatient psychotherapy units that should be in close contact with psychiatric hospitals and play a role in improvement of mental health care. In this context, it is important to know the types of patients that benefit from this therapy and to develop the methodology and contents for interventions as well as workload for therapists. In this article, the authors analyse their clinical and organisational experience with starting an outpatient psychotherapy unit in the Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry that was functioning during three years (2010-2012). On the basis of clinical-statistical observation, the authors conclude that the amount of care provided by this unit was gradually increasing, reaching the ‘saturation’ point only by the end of the second year. Majority of patients were persons with affective and anxiety disorders who hardly had functioning problems in professional and social sense. Combined and differentiated therapy resulted in pronounced or moderate improvement in 84% of cases. Internet consultations played a special role in this therapy. Conclusion: despite serious management difficulties, starting modern outpatient psychotherapy units within framework of existing mental health care may offer an adequate response to changes that are currently taking place in the system.