Creating links

Abstract

Introduction: This publication aims at showing a methodology of inter-institutional articulation. Since 2000, teams of the Health Centre of Tábua and of the Department of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry in the Paediatrics Hospital (Hospital Centre of Coimbra) meet periodically with the objective to screen, discuss and supervise clinical cases related to problems of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry. After seven years of team work, we have made a reassessment of this partnership, supported by statistical analysis 2007. Objectives: To improve access, to screen and supervise clinical cases, to promote the bidirectional circulation of clinical data, take advantage of resources and to promote the training of family physicians and psychologists. Methodology: Monthly actual meetings between the two teams; written and phone contacts. Results:we have made eight meetings/year; about 3,75 first cases were discussed in each meeting; of the 30 new discussed in 2007, 40% needed an appointment in the Department of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry; 60% just needed intervention of the Health Centre; waiting list for an appointment of five weeks (average); the most frequent causes of discussion and/or reference were: behaviour and learning problems, family dysfunction related to family psychopathology and exchange of bilateral data. Discussion: increase of first cases probably owing to the participation of a new family physician in the meetings; decrease of first cases directed to the Department due to the good quality of the work developed in the Primary Care; causes of reference/ discussion between the family physician and the psychiatrist according to the consulted bibliography. Conclusions: with this partnership, there is an increasing participation and mobilization of the local resources, a decreasing need to lead families to appointments in the try, a decrease of the waiting