Treatment involving patient's family cuts mental health hospital admissions, study finds

A new approach to mental health treatment called Open Dialogue, which involves involving a patient's family and friends in treatment, has been found to reduce the likelihood of hospital admissions by three times, according to a recent study published in The Lancet Psychiatry. This approach, which is now used in over 20 countries, focuses on the patient's priorities, seeing the same clinicians, and involving people close to them.

The study, led by University College London, involved 500 patients who had sought crisis mental health services, and found that while there was no significant difference in the likelihood of relapse, the group receiving Open Dialogue treatment spent half as much time in hospital compared to those receiving standard care. Dr. Nihad Fathi, who benefited from this approach after his mental health deteriorated during the Covid pandemic, found that his wife and the clinicians helped him understand his feelings and achieve a better picture of his situation.

However, some experts, like Dr. Sameer Jauhar, are calling for more research to determine whether the distinctive, resource-intensive elements of Open Dialogue add additional benefit beyond good community care.