The HOME Study: PICLP and Time Spent in Hospital [A.I.]

This research paper describes a multicenter randomized controlled trial called The HOME Study, which investigated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a novel approach to psychiatric care called Proactive Integrated Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (PICLP) for older medical inpatients. The study compared PICLP to usual care, and although the findings did not show a statistically significant reduction in the time older patients spent in the hospital, there were hints that PICLP could be beneficial in increasing the discharge rate and potentially lowering mortality. Additionally, the study found that PICLP was likely to be cost-saving in the short term, suggesting that the positive experiences reported by patients and staff could be achieved without additional costs to the hospital.

STUDY:
Sharpe M, Walker J, van Niekerk M, Toynbee M, Magill N, Frost C, White IR, Walker S, Duarte A, Owens C, Dickens C. Proactive integrated consultation-liaison psychiatry and time spent in hospital by older medical inpatients in England (The HOME Study): a multicentre, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2024 Sep 1;11(9):684-95.