Treatment with medication for patients with psychosis within 2 days during waiting in the accident and emergency department and its correlation with length of in-patient stay: retrospective database study
2024

Impact of Early Medication on Hospital Stay for Psychosis Patients

Sample size: 228 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Pasha Memon, Nacharin Phiphopthatsanee, Elliot Hampsey

Primary Institution: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

Hypothesis

Does starting psychotropic medication within 2 days of psychiatric liaison input in the A&E department correlate with shorter lengths of in-patient psychiatric admissions for patients with psychosis?

Conclusion

Restarting patients with psychosis on medication they were taking within the week before A&E attendance, within 2 days of arrival, is associated with shorter admissions.

Supporting Evidence

  • Patients restarted on their previous medication had shorter hospital stays.
  • Patients who were not on medication before A&E had longer stays.
  • Restarting medication within 2 days was linked to better outcomes.
  • Demographic factors did not significantly affect the results.

Takeaway

If someone with psychosis gets their medication restarted quickly after arriving at the hospital, they might leave the hospital sooner.

Methodology

Data was collected from patients who waited in A&E for over 2 days and were either started on medication or not, comparing their lengths of stay.

Potential Biases

Potential biases may arise from the reliance on clinical records and the specific patient population studied.

Limitations

The study had a relatively small sample size and was conducted in a specific urban area, limiting generalizability.

Participant Demographics

{"age":{"group_A":38.6,"group_B":44.2},"gender":{"male":{"group_A":60.7,"group_B":62.5},"female":{"group_A":39.3,"group_B":37.5}}}

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.05

Statistical Significance

p=0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1192/bjo.2024.804

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication