Impact of inpatient mental health rehabilitation on psychiatric readmissions: a propensity score matched case control study

Background: Examination of readmission data is a standard method for evaluating health service outcomes. Limited work has evaluated the efficacy of mental health rehabilitation, despite the need for evidence-based approaches.

Aims: To evaluate the impact of inpatient mental health rehabilitation using metrics of psychiatric readmissions routinely collected at occasions of service.

Methods: Consumers (n = 252) of a nonacute inpatient mental health rehabilitation unit were case matched with normative clients from community mental health services. The impact of inpatient care was measured on: (1) the occurrence of a psychiatric readmission within 12 months of discharge; (2) the total number of psychiatric readmissions within 12 months of discharge; and (3) the number of days to a psychiatric readmission after discharge.

Results: The proportion of consumers experiencing a readmission significantly decreased following inpatient care, comparable to the normative group. The number of readmissions also significantly decreased, approaching normative group levels, except in consumers with comorbid bipolar, substance use, or personality disorder. Time to a readmission significantly increased following inpatient care, approximating normative group values, and was related to the number of previous admissions.

Conclusion: Routinely collected service data demonstrated nonacute inpatient mental health rehabilitation reduces re-hospitalization, which will have benefits for both consumers and health services.