Clinicians' experiences on patients' demands and shared decision making in Finnish specialized mental health care

Purpose Psychiatric patients' awareness of treatments options and their possibilities to influence their care has increased. For the clinicians, the management of evidence-based care, as well as organizational and resource aspects, set different goals for the clinical encounter. In this article we are focusing on the clinicians' experiences and ask: How do the clinicians view situations in which there is a conflict between patients' individual needs and goals and other aspects in decision-making? Materials and methods We implemented a qualitative study of 13 thematic semi-structured interviews with clinicians working in psychiatry. We used discourse analysis to investigate how the clinician view the doctor-patient interaction. Results We identified three discources which were termed the medical standpoint, the psychodynamic standpoint and the standpoint of the patient's experience. Conclusions In their talk, the clinicians use the three discources to make sense of the diverse expectations from both the patient and the mental health care system. The three discources also reflect different aspects in psychiatric treatment cultures, such as evidence-based medicine, the ideal of patient-centeredness, therapeutic interaction and organizational requirements.Peer reviewe

Clinicians' experiences on patients' demands and shared decision making in Finnish specialized mental health care

PurposePsychiatric patients' awareness of treatments options and their possibilities to influence their care has increased. For the clinicians, the management of evidence-based care, as well as organizational and resource aspects, set different goals for the clinical encounter. In this article we are focusing on the clinicians' experiences and ask: How do the clinicians view situations in which there is a conflict between patients' individual needs and goals and other aspects in decision-making?Materials and methodsWe implemented a qualitative study of 13 thematic semi-structured interviews with clinicians working in psychiatry. We used discourse analysis to investigate how the clinician view the doctor-patient interaction.ResultsWe identified three discources which were termed the medical standpoint, the psychodynamic standpoint and the standpoint of the patient's experience.ConclusionsIn their talk, the clinicians use the three discources to make sense of the diverse expectations from both the patient and the mental health care system. The three discources also reflect different aspects in psychiatric treatment cultures, such as evidence-based medicine, the ideal of patient-centeredness, therapeutic interaction and organizational requirements.</p

Effectiveness of brief schema group therapy for borderline personality disorder symptoms : a randomized pilot study

Background and objectives Schema group therapy is a potentially cost-effective treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD). We piloted the feasibility and effectiveness of a 20-session schema group therapy without individual therapy among psychiatric BPD outpatients in a randomized pilot study registered as a clinical trial (ISRCTN76381242). Methods Altogether 42 psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with BPD were randomized 2:1 to a 20-session weekly schema group therapy plus treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 28) vs. a control group with TAU alone (n = 14). The primary outcome was decline of BPD symptoms in the short Borderline Symptom List (BSL-23) score. Secondary outcomes were decline in symptoms of anxiety, depression, alcohol use, and improvement in functioning and schema modes. Two external experts evaluated validity of the intervention based on videotaped sessions. Results Overall, 23 schema group therapy patients (82%) and 12 controls (86%) completed their treatment. Treatment validity good or very good. However, no significant differences emerged in the primary outcome mean BSL-23 decline (6.95 [SE 5.91] in group schema therapy vs. 12.55 [4.85] in TAU) or in any of the secondary outcome measures. Limitations Despite randomization, the TAU subgroup had non-significantly higher baseline scores in most measures. Small sample size predisposing to type II errors; reliance on self-reported outcomes. Conclusions Schema group therapy was feasible for psychiatric outpatients with BPD. However, in this small pilot study we did not find it more effective than TAU. Effectiveness of this short intervention remains open.Peer reviewe