Relationship Between Continuity of Care and Discharge Planning After Hospital Psychiatric Admission

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether communication between inpatient and outpatient mental health providers during patients' inpatient stays was associated with whether patients attended postdischarge appointments. METHODS: Psychiatric inpatient medical records of 189 Medicaid recipients at two hospitals were reviewed to document whether inpatient staff had communicated with current or prior outpatient providers. Medicaid claims provided demographic, clinical, and outpatient attendance data. Associations between provider communications and follow-up care for patients who had or had not received outpatient mental health care within the 30 days prior to admission were evaluated. RESULTS: Inpatient staff communicated with outpatient providers for 118 (62%) patients. For patients who had not received outpatient care within 30 days of admission, compared with those who had, communication was associated with increased odds of attending timely outpatient appointments (odds ratio=2.73, 95% confidence interval=1.09-6.84). CONCLUSIONS: Communication with outpatient providers may be especially important for patients who were not engaged in outpatient care prior to admission.