Biomaterial Database

Use of involuntary outpatient commitment in community care of the seriously and persistently mentally ill patient. 1995

C A Smith

Involuntary outpatient commitment (IOC) in some form has been adopted by all states as an alternative to hospital commitment. Regulations for IOC vary among the states. Although some studies have shown that IOC reduces hospital admission rates, research findings have not clearly determined the effectiveness of IOC or the type of concurrent care measures indicated. The limited community care available for IOC patients, the legalities, and the ethical issues surrounding the restriction of a client's autonomy and self-determination are rarely addressed. Nurses need to be prepared to advocate for patients who may be at risk for violation of their basic rights. More research is needed to validate the effectiveness of IOC and to determine when IOC is justified to support an individualized treatment program.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010344	Patient Advocacy	Promotion and protection of the rights of patients, frequently through a legal process.	Patient Ombudsmen,Patient Representatives,Clinical Ombudsman,Patient Ombudsman,Advocacy, Patient,Ombudsman, Clinical,Ombudsman, Patient,Ombudsmen, Patient,Patient Representative,Representative, Patient,Representatives, Patient
D003134	Commitment of Mentally Ill	Legal process required for the institutionalization of a patient with severe mental problems.	Outpatient Commitment,Commitment, Outpatient,Mentally Ill Commitments
D003156	Community Mental Health Services	Diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive mental health services provided for individuals in the community.	Community Mental Health Service,Mental Health Services, Community,Assertive Community Treatment,Health Services, Community Mental,Services, Community Mental Health,Services, Mental Health Community,Community Treatment, Assertive,Treatment, Assertive Community
D004993	Ethics, Nursing	The principles of proper professional conduct concerning the rights and duties of nurses themselves, their patients, and their fellow practitioners, as well as their actions in the care of patients and in relations with their families.	Nursing Ethics,Ethic, Nursing,Nursing Ethic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000553	Ambulatory Care	Health care services provided to patients on an ambulatory basis, rather than by admission to a hospital or other health care facility. The services may be a part of a hospital, augmenting its inpatient services, or may be provided at a free-standing facility.	Outpatient Care,Outpatient Health Services,Clinic Visits,Health Services, Outpatient,Outpatient Services,Services, Outpatient Health,Urgent Care,Care, Ambulatory,Care, Outpatient,Care, Urgent,Cares, Urgent,Clinic Visit,Health Service, Outpatient,Outpatient Health Service,Outpatient Service,Service, Outpatient,Service, Outpatient Health,Services, Outpatient,Urgent Cares,Visit, Clinic,Visits, Clinic
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D017063	Outcome Assessment, Health Care	Research aimed at assessing the quality and effectiveness of health care as measured by the attainment of a specified end result or outcome. Measures include parameters such as improved health, lowered morbidity or mortality, and improvement of abnormal states (such as elevated blood pressure).	Assessment, Outcome,Outcome Assessment,Outcome Assessment (Health Care),Outcomes Research,Assessment, Outcomes,Outcome Measures,Outcome Studies,Outcomes Assessment,Assessment, Outcome (Health Care),Assessments, Outcome,Assessments, Outcome (Health Care),Assessments, Outcomes,Measure, Outcome,Measures, Outcome,Outcome Assessments,Outcome Assessments (Health Care),Outcome Measure,Outcome Study,Outcomes Assessments,Research, Outcomes,Studies, Outcome,Study, Outcome
D028642	Mentally Ill Persons	Persons with psychiatric illnesses or diseases, particularly psychotic and severe mood disorders.	Mental Patients,Mentally Ill,Ill, Mentally,Mentally Ill Person,Person, Mentally Ill,Persons, Mentally Ill
D028701	Patient Rights	Fundamental claims of patients, as expressed in statutes, declarations, or generally accepted moral principles. (Bioethics Thesaurus) The term is used for discussions of patient rights as a group of many rights, as in a hospital's posting of a list of patient rights.	Right to Treatment,Patient's Rights,Patients' Rights,Patient Right,Patient's Right,Patients Rights,Patients' Right,Right to Treatments,Right, Patient,Right, Patient's,Right, Patients',Rights, Patient,Rights, Patient's,Rights, Patients',Treatment, Right to,Treatments, Right to