Implementation of caring contacts using patient feedback to reduce suicide‐related outcomes following psychiatric hospitalization

Abstract

AbstractIntroductionSuicide risk is substantially elevated following discharge from a psychiatric hospitalization. Caring Contacts (CCs) are brief communications delivered post‐discharge that can help to improve mental health outcomes.MethodThis three‐phase, mixed‐method quality‐improvement study revised an existing CC intervention using iterative patient and community feedback. Inpatients (n = 2) and community members (n = 13) participated in focus groups to improve existing CC messages (phases 1 and 2). We piloted these messages among individuals with a suicide‐related concern following discharge from an inpatient psychiatric hospitalization (n = 27), sending CCs on days 2 and 7 post‐discharge (phase 3). Phase 3 participants completed mental health symptom measures at baseline and day 7, and provided feedback on these messages.ResultsPhase 1 and 2 focus group participants indicated preferences for shorter, more visually appealing messages that featured personalized, recovery‐focused content. Phase 3 participants demonstrated reductions in depressive symptoms at day‐7 post‐discharge (−6.4% mean score on Hopkins‐Symptom‐Checklist, −9.0% mean score on Entrapment‐Scale). Most participants agreed that CC messages helped them feel more connected to the hospital and encouraged help‐seeking behavior post‐discharge.ConclusionThis study supports the use of an iterative process, including patient feedback, to improve CC messages and provides further pilot evidence that CC can have beneficial effects.