Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology

Can pharmaceutical firms support mental health reforms?

Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology 2013; 23: Supplement S9-S9
Read: 367 Published: 21 March 2021

Services providing psychiatric care in Georgia need change. In October 2010 ministry of labor, health and social affairs (MOLHSA) proclaimed about starting mental health reform and made several maneuvers, like selling territory of the institute of psychiatry at a fashionable place and opening psychiatric departments in general clinics. The methodology and amount of financing of treatment changed too. At the same time, no improvements have been made to the outpatient clinics, and no steps have been made to build community based services. On the contrary, some outpatient clinics where sold and changed to psychiatric cabinets. 70% of the state financing remains for hospitals and 30% for outpatient treatment. This resulted in increased number of hospitalizations, hence more money is spent in most expensive of the services – hospital treatment. After discharge from the psychiatric hospital a patient gets 50 times less money for treatment at the outpatient clinic, 20 times less is spent on pharmacotherapy. Huge disbalance between budgets of hospitals and outpatient clinics causes relapses and rehospitalization. For years specialists and service users are talking about the necessity to shift psychiatric system to a mental health system better suited to the needs of the society. Improving quality of psychopharmacotherapy in outpatient facilities is one big issue. From almost 80000 patients officially registered as users of psychiatric services (in fact the estimated number is much higher), only 1300 (maximum number of psychiatric beds in Georgia) stay in hospitals. Others are being treated by psycho-neurological dispensaries (psychiatric outpatient clinics). As a result of the actual situation all members of the system have problems: 1. MOLHSA has to pay more for in hospital treatment if they do not increase budget of the outpatient treatment; 2. Service users and their families have big discomfort because of inability to get quality treatment in community and avoid hospitalization; 3. Specialists have big concern how to keep remission without having possibility to prescribe the necessary medication. Many users of psychiatric services have low income and are not able to buy medication themselves. Insurance companies refuse to pay for psychiatric treatment. And the state financing is enough for only limited amount and variety of medication. Here comes the major issue – how to persuade MOLHSA officials to change something i.e. dare increase funds for treatment in communities. This is the point of the possibility of synergy between MOLHSA, mental health specialists, service users and pharmaceutical companies. The last have money which is often spent on advertisements and work with physicians, but not for increasing competence of decision makers. Usually MOLHSA representatives avoid direct contact with pharmaceutical companies, as they are afraid to seem corrupted. For them it is easier to contact professional societies. There have been cases when some officials willingly attended conferences and trainings organized and financed by NGOs. To solve the problem a unique cooperation must be set between all parties. And the result will be win-win situation.

EISSN 2475-0581