Transfer-time and -rates from inpatient to outpatient care of mental ill persons in Baden Wurttemberg]

Objective: The time of transfer between discharge from inpatient mental health care and first contact to the outpatient sector is considered to be an indicator for continuity of care. Methods: This indicator is assessed using health care claims data of one of the mayor health insurances in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Results: About 80% of cases with the diagnosis of a defined mental disorder sought outpatient care at general or mental health practitioners within six months from discharge. 50% of them did so within six days, 75% within three weeks. The majority sought outpatient care at general practitioners. Cases that sought care in outpatient clinics specialized for severe mental illness (SMI) could not be considered in the data. However, considering them by estimation, the rate of cases with SMI seeking outpatient care at mental health practitioners within six months from discharge estimated to be at least 70%. Conclusions: General practitioners are an important source for aftercare of mentally ill people discharged from inpatient care. Time of transfer as an indicator can be predominantly assessed by using health claims data in Germany.