Integration of partial hospitalization and inpatient child/adolescent psychiatric units: "A question of continuity of care".

In an ever-changing health care field, an organization must be willing to change to meet the needs and demands of its patients. With continuity of care as the impetus for change, the Harold E. Fox Center at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital experienced a significant change in the delivery of child/adolescent psychiatric services. To improve patient outcomes and patient, family, staff, physician, and community satisfaction, the partial hospitalization program and the inpatient unit were integrated. A treatment team model was adopted for the integrated program. This program consisted of a teacher, social worker, nurse, and activity therapist. Physicians supervised the team in the delivery of treatment for their patients. These patients were placed on a treatment team upon admission and were maintained in the team until discharge. A survey was completed analyzing patient, parent, and staff satisfaction with the new model of service delivery. The results indicated favorable support for the concept of the integrated program; however, the operation of such a program still requires refinement.