A Study of the Current State of the Mental Health Service Delivery System Using the Focused-Group Interview.
10.4306/jknpa.2016.55.4.365
- Author:
Subin PARK
1
;
Jin Yong JUN
;
Yoon Young NAM
;
Hee Young LIM
;
Da Young LEE
;
Eun Jin KIM
;
Jin Pyo HONG
;
SungKu CHOI
;
Kyooseob HA
Author Information
1. Korea Mental Health Technology R&D Project, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Korea. kyooha@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Mental health service delivery system;
Non-voluntary admission;
Long-term hospitalization
- MeSH:
Community Mental Health Centers;
Community Networks;
Focus Groups;
Hospitalization;
Humans;
Information Dissemination;
Insurance;
Mental Health Services*;
Mental Health*;
Psychiatric Rehabilitation;
Social Work;
Social Workers
- From:Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
2016;55(4):365-375
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: To use focus-group interviews (FGI) to determine the current state of the Korean mental health service delivery system, inter-agency patient links, and identify associated problems. METHODS: The FGI were conducted by seven workers from psychiatric rehabilitation centers and community mental health centers and seven social workers from mental health hospitals. RESULTS: Within the mental health service delivery system, disconnection of the community network after discharge is considered a serious problem. The following improvement proposals are suggested : 1) the control tower should govern the community network after discharge, 2) consider insurance costs during activation of hospital links, and 3) expand information sharing related to community social facilities. With regard to non-voluntary admission and long-term hospitalization, most focus group members considered the revolving-door phenomenon to be more serious than non-voluntary admission. In order to prevent unnecessary long-term hospitalization, the FGI results indicated that the government should proactively intervene in the admission/discharge process. In addition, the following improvement proposals were suggested : 1) functional activation of the mental health review board via the reinforcement of workers' expertise, 2) expansion of local mental health centers, and 3) undertake institutional changes related to the family-related issue of preferring hospitalization over a stay at a secure facility. CONCLUSION: For the government to improve the efficiency of the mental health service delivery system, it is necessary to improve institutional linkages, expand mental health infrastructure, and develop an integrated management system.
