QUALITY ASSURANCE OF PSYCHIATRIC DAY HOSPITAL TREATMENT I - INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL

The article describes a quality assurance system for psychotherapeutic day units. The system was developed through a collaboration between d ifferent day units at different hospitals in Norway and the University Institute at the Department of Psychiatry, Ulleval Hospital, Oslo. Th e system consists of a series of tests, schemes, and procedures, which are processed by a software program. The system is described through a presentation of routine data from the treatment of a single patient: application procedures, patient preparation, waiting list, procedures for evaluation at intake, discharge, and I-year follow up, postdischa rge treatment, and so forth. The system provides good documentation of crucial elements in psychiatric treatment and assures the patient and referral agencies that these elements are carried through in accordan ce with high quality demands. The staff perceives the system as highly useful for clinical purposes. The system presupposes secretary assist ance and user support.