Clinical characteristics and resource utilization of patients with bipolar disorder who have frequent psychiatric interventions

• Published in: Journal of medical economics Vol. 13; no. 3; p. 552
• Main Authors: Haskins, J Thomas, Macfadden, Wayne, Turner, Norris, Crivera, Concetta, Dirani, Riad, Alphs, Larry, Gersing, Kenneth, Burchett, Bruce
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-09-2010
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Bipolar Disorder - economics; Bipolar Disorder - psychology; Bipolar Disorder - therapy; Comorbidity; Electronic Health Records; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Health Services - economics; Mental Health Services - utilization; North Carolina; Retrospective Studies; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Factors; North Carolina
• ISSN: 1941-837X
• DOI: 10.3111/13696998.2010.511064

To compare the demographics, clinical characteristics and resource utilization of patients with bipolar disorder who required frequent psychiatric interventions (FPIs) with those needing fewer interventions in the Duke Healthcare System database between 1999 and 2005.
This retrospective analysis was conducted using electronic medical records of bipolar patients with FPIs, defined as having ≥4 clinically significant events (CSEs) in any 12-month period while in the Duke University Healthcare System. CSEs were composed of emergency room visits, inpatient hospitalizations, or a change in psychotropic medication due to psychiatric symptoms (score≥4 on the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity scale). Data were compared between patients with and without FPIs.
Of 632 patients with bipolar disorder 52.5% were identified as having FPIs. These patients were younger and more often female and African American than those with fewer interventions (p<0.01 for all). Patients with FPIs were generally prescribed more psychotropic and non-psychotropic medications, utilized more healthcare resources and experienced more psychiatric co-morbidities than those who did not require FPIs (p<0.01 for all).
These results are from a single healthcare system and may not be generalizable to all patients with bipolar disorder. This analysis was retrospective and relied on availability of adequate information recording and coding of diagnoses by physicians.
Patients with bipolar disorder who required FPIs were significantly different from those with fewer clinically defined interventions with respect to their demographic and clinical characteristics and prescribed medications.