Transition from inpatient to AMBulant psychotherapy
feasibility of an intersectoral care transition Intervention in depression and anxiety (AMBITION)
Summary
The AMBITION project aims to improve the quality of intersectoral care for patients with depressive and anxiety disorders.
Patients who have been treated as inpatients for depressive or anxiety disorders often do not find their way to urgently indicated outpatient follow-up psychotherapy after discharge from inpatient treatment for various reasons. The failed transition to this outpatient psychotherapy causes significantly high rehospitalization rates already very shortly after discharge, but also in the further course and sustainably reduced adherence. In the medium to long term, those affected are at risk that the respective disorder will become chronic and that participation in the labor market will only be possible to a reduced extent or, in extreme cases, not at all.
This is precisely where AMBITION comes in as a randomized feasibility study. Specifically, a Care Transition Intervention (CTI) will be piloted for patients 18 years of age and older with clinically significant depression and anxiety at the transition from inpatient to outpatient psychotherapy. A total of 50 subjects randomized in a 1:1 ratio into two groups will be included in the study. Data analysis will be primarily descriptive. Within the framework of the CTI, collaboration between different service providers will be encouraged (integrated care) and patients will be enabled to come to terms with their illness and independently seek further support (patient emancipation through psychoeducation). The aim of CTI is to enable patients to make a more seamless transition between the inpatient and outpatient sectors of psychosocial care and thus improve their quality of life, avoid rehospitalization and, in the medium term, ensure participation in the labor market.
The results of AMBITION can be used scientifically to further develop the intervention and optimize it with regard to the needs of the patients. If the CTI proves to be feasible, its effectiveness and efficiency will be tested in a sufficiently powered confirmatory study.
