Treatment involving patient's family cuts mental health hospital admissions, study finds
Summary
A new mental health treatment called Open Dialogue involves patients’ family and friends in their care and has been shown to reduce hospital admissions by three times. Patients receiving this treatment reported better recovery and quality of life, although it did not reduce illness relapses.Key Facts
- Open Dialogue includes the patient’s close network in regular meetings with the same clinicians.
- The treatment focuses on the patient’s priorities and encourages open conversations about feelings and support needed.
- A study by University College London involved 500 patients in crisis and compared Open Dialogue to usual treatment.
- Open Dialogue patients were three times less likely to be admitted to psychiatric hospitals.
- When admitted, Open Dialogue patients spent half as much time in hospital.
- Recovery and wellbeing ratings were higher among Open Dialogue patients compared to usual care.
- The approach has been used since 2019 in parts of the NHS and originated in Finland in the 1980s.
- Some experts say more research is needed because the treatment did not prevent relapses.
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