IMPACT OF RISPERIDONE ON THE USE OF MENTAL-HEALTH-CARE RESOURCES

Objective: The effects of risperidone treatment on health care utiliza tion and treatment costs were examined among patients with treatment-r efractory schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder Methods: Data from the Santa Clara County Mental Health Department were used to measure inpatient and ambulatory services and outpatient medications related t o the treatment of mental disorders. Data for 139 patients were analyz ed for periods before and after initiation of risperidone treatment, A mean+/-SD of 14+/-2.1 months of data were available in both the befor e and after, periods, for a mean total study period of 28 months, Resu lts: The patients' mean age was 40 years (range, 18 to 78 years), and 46 percent were women. After the start of risperidone treatment, days in acute care inpatient facilities were reduced by 26 percent, and day s in residential treatment were reduced by 57 percent, These reduction s were accompanied by an increase in the use of lower-cost services, s uch as community living, treatment planning, and partial hospital-day treatment, There was a 3.4 percent increase in total psychiatric healt h care costs after initiation of treatment with risperidone. Conclusio ns: Overall, risperidone treatment resulted in a shift of resource uti lization from provider-delivered services to pharmaceutical care witho ut a significant change in total health care cost.