[Self-Perception and External Perception of Peer Support Workers in Clinical Psychiatric Practice]. / Selbst- und Fremdwahrnehmung von Genesungsbegleitenden im klinisch-psychiatrischen Alltag.

OBJECTIVE: Since 2016, peer support workers (PSW) have been working in a clinical group with nine psychiatric clinics. The aim of this study was to collect expectations and experiences with peer support work. METHOD: Twelve PSW and 32 clinicians (key informants, KI) from all clinics participated in an anonymous, written survey. RESULTS: Both PSW and KI evaluated the overall importance of peer support, the cooperation between PSW and the clinical staff and the support from supervisors positively. KI rated the importance of peer support higher than the PSW themselves. PSW expressed the wish to act more independently. Compared to the self-perception of PSW, KI experienced them more insecure and burdened. CONCLUSION: Our findings speak in favor of a high level of satisfaction with peer support work, but they also point to critical differences between external and self-perceptions of PSW. Qualitative and more extensive quantitative surveys are required.

[Benchmarking in psychiatric acute care--a demonstration project in a hospitals network]. / Benchmarking in der psychiatrischen Akutbehandlung - Ein Modellprojekt im Klinikverbund.

The aim of this project was to improve treatment processes and results in acutely ill inpatients within a network of nine psychiatric state hospitals of the Landschaftsverband Rheinland by introducing a benchmarking process. The project was based upon pre-existing measures of quality management. Patient groups were selected that were characterised by a severe clinical development or a high demand for mental health care services (alcohol abuse, depression of the elderly, schizophrenia). Room for improvement concerning specific hospitals and the overall hospital network were identified. The project was conducted with two patient cohorts before and after a quality-related intervention. Interventions were implemented for specific hospitals and the overall hospital network. Overall treatment documentations of 1,696 patients (1(st) cohort n=1,856, 2(nd) cohort n=1,696) were completed. Although there was no constant quantifiable statistically significant improvement of quality within the three patient groups (and certainly not with respect to the overall network), there was successful improvement of essential treatment processes for certain hospitals and the overall network under benchmarking. This was especially relevant where treatment recommendations were concerned. Future projects should focus on the conformance with treatment guidelines by defining both structural and process measures as a starting point and evaluation criterion.