Psychotherapy in the general hospital: Staff requirements and cost estimation for psychotherapeutic care and psychological counselling

Authors

  • Wolfgang Söllner

Abstract

Approximately 30% of the patients treated in the general hospital show psychological disturbances, such as psychiatric or psychosomatic disorders or problems in coping with illness. All these disturbances would require further psychological examination and in some cases psychotherapeutic treatment. Doctors, who have not undergone special training, often do not recognise psychic disturbances and do not take them sufficiently in account. This often leads to longer terms of treatment, to longer duration of hospital stay and to inadequate multiple use of diagnostic and therapeutic measures which are unreasonable. On the other hand there is a lack of psychosocial support. All this can lead to unnecessary suffering. Based on investigations on the application of mental health services in the general hospital, the need for psychotherapeutic care and psychological counselling in public hospitals is estimated, taking the county of Tyrol as an example, and the costs for these services are calculated.

Keywords:
Psychotherapy in the general hospital, psychological counselling, consultation-liaison-services, public health needs of care delivery, calculation of costs.

Author Biography

Wolfgang Söllner

Dr. Wolfgang Söllner ist Facharzt für Psychiatrie und Neurologie, Psychotherapeut und als geschäftsführender Oberarzt und Stellvertreter des Vorstands an der Universitätsklinik für Medizinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie Innsbruck tätig. Er leitet den psychotherapeutischen Konsiliar- und Liaisondienst an dieser Klinik und hat Lehrbuchbeiträge und wissenschaftliche Arbeiten zu psychosomatischen Problemstellungen und zur psychotherapeutischen Arbeit im Krankenhaus (im speziellen zum Liaisondienst) veröffentlicht.

Korrespondenz: Dr. Wolfgang Söllner, Universitätsklinik für Medizinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie, Sonnenburgstraße 9, A-6020 Innsbruck

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Published

1996-01-01

How to Cite

Söllner, W. (1996). Psychotherapy in the general hospital: Staff requirements and cost estimation for psychotherapeutic care and psychological counselling. Psychotherapie-Wissenschaft, 4(1), 33–40. Retrieved from https://psychotherapie-wissenschaft.info/article/view/658

Issue

No. 1 (1996): Psychotherapie Forum 4/1 (veröffentlicht bei Springer Wien New York)

Section

Original Work

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