EVALUATION IN A PSYCHOSOMATIC CLINIC AS A CONTRIBUTION TO QUALITY ASSURANCE

In the Hospital for Psychosomatic Medicine and Rehabilitation Schutzen in Rheinfelden/Switzerland a complete quality assurance system is bei ng developed. In phase 1 and evaluation concept was implemented, in ph ase 2 a feedback system is to be developed in which the results are us ed for quality assurance. Therefore and evaluation study of the psycho therapeutical treatment was implemented in one ward (ward 1) in the ho spital Schutzen. The patients were interviewed at the beginning and at the end of their stay in ward with questionnaires on several psycholo gical dimensions (general symptoms-SCL 90-R, depression-ADS, subjectiv e and general functioning-GAF of DSM III-R) and with one questionnaire on general satisfaction with the stay. In addition, an extensive set of basic data was collected. The study was complemented by one-year-fo llow-up (Vollmer, 1997). By means of this documentation system the cha racteristics of all the patients in the ward during this time were des cribed. The data obtained with the questionnaires indicated remarkable changes in the psychological dimensions for the time of the treatment as well as patients general satisfaction with their stay. The follow- up results point to stability of changes. These results indicate a via ble line of evaluating inpatient psychotherapy with practicable method s (phase 1). From this a complete concept for a quality assurance will be developed (phase 2).