Enhancing the Volume of Psychiatric Home Care Service

The purpose of this presentation is to increase the service volume of psychiatric home care through action research. Our home care service was limited to referral sources and shortage of professionals manpower, the total of service recipients was held at around 600-650 person-times each month over a long period. However, 720 person-times each month of psychiatric home service was applied by our institution. Hence, the action research method was used to explore the factors which may cause low service volume and the way to increase the service volume of psychiatric home care.

According to the analysis of the questionnaires and monthly reports done by nurse staffs experienced in home care, the main causes were the lack of home visit doctors, insufficient knowledge on home care, and the restriction of service due to less referral sources.

The strategies were included the low referral rate was announced to doctors, increase the home visit doctors and holding in-service training for nurses, formulating a standardized list, revising the standard operation procedure and expand service areas into the communities.

Eventually, the numbers of home care recipients rose from 600-650 person-times to 700-706 person-times per month, thus nearly achieving the goal of this study. This study may be used as a reference to other hospitals that are in the process of establishing a psychiatric home care service.