key: cord-258727-mhg56j20
authors: Kolar, Dusan
title: Psychiatric emergency services and non-acute psychiatric services utilization during COVID-19 pandemic
date: 2020-08-08
journal: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci
DOI: 10.1007/s00406-020-01182-3
sha: 
doc_id: 258727
cord_uid: mhg56j20

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patients, no visitor policy and the lack of group therapies at the ward demotivated some patients to accept elective voluntary admission, but overall there has been evidence of the decline in the number of referrals. Some other hospitals in North America tighten admission criteria, particularly for voluntary admission for substance use disorder [2] which was not the case in our hospital.

It is also worth noting that most of the patients with severe and refractory mood disorders and comorbid anxiety disorders followed in the mood disorders specialized clinic remained stable and well served remotely via telemedicine instead of in-person visits over the last 3-4 months of COVID-19 pandemic. Many patients repeatedly emphasized that social distancing measures and isolation have a positive impact on them as all other people in the community are in the same position which helps with the burden of social isolation due to mental illness. Some patients on a higher functional level reported that the "stay at home" order created a sense of holiday. Patients are well supported by their family members who stay at home during the COVID-19 lockdown and this experience of togetherness obviously was beneficial for patients with mood disorders. Finally, many people are working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from home is beneficial for some patients with mood and anxiety disorders as they are not exposed to social stress at their work place. As a result of all these factors, the number of patients in the outpatient clinics requesting urgent or earlier appointments has also declined. Telemedicine appears to be so far a good substitute of in-person clinic appointments for follow-up patients. This statement does not apply to new consultations as there are a number of diagnostic issues, therapeutic alliance issues, and potential ethical and medicolegal issues associated with telemedicine [3] .

The research evidence on acute psychiatric services utilization by colleagues from Germany and other countries around the world, as well as experiences from the nonacute care settings, should be a lesson for mental health professionals, particularly those who believe that majority 

Psychiatric emergency department volume during Covid-19 pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic: impact on psychiatric care in the United States

Psychiatrist experience of remote consultations by telephone in an outpatient psychiatric department during the COVID-19 pandemic

Conflict of interest The author has no conflict of interest.