Many psychotherapies useless and expensive

Billions in costs due to wrong psychotherapeutic treatments

07.11.2011

Every year, the healthcare system incurs billions in costs due to the wrong therapeutic treatment of mental illnesses. Experts demand improved success controls and increased transparency in the quality of the therapist.

As part of the research on a contribution to the topic of psychotherapy of „World on Sunday“ Scientists surveyed agreed that at least five billion euros a year are wasted in the health care system due to the mistreatment of mental illness „World Online“. According to the news portal, the calculations of the renowned experts point to considerable grievances in the field of psychotherapeutic treatment.

A quarter of psychotherapies unsuccessful
The number of patients with mental illness has risen steadily in recent years, with increasing social pressure and stress, according to experts, playing a major role in increasing mental health. However, the willingness to seek professional help with mental health problems has increased significantly in recent decades. As the subsequent psychotherapeutic treatment fails, the current report of „World Online“ However, this is not only determined by the patient's problems, but often depends on coincidences such as the place of residence, the preferences of the doctor or psychotherapist for certain therapeutic procedures „and sometimes also by the profit interests of a practice or clinic“ from. Citing numerous scientific studies, the news portal reports that in every fourth patient being treated for mental health problems, the therapy does not improve. At every tenth, the mental state deteriorates even in the course of therapy. This results in billions of euros in the health system. At least five billion euros should be loud „world“-Report the wrong treatments, whereby the Bochum psychology professor Jürgen Margraf opposite the sheet emphasized that he „set the amount even higher“ would, „at least, if you count the consequences on the work ability of the people.“

Controlling the soul healing required?
According to the experts interviewed in the paper, the main drawback with psychotherapeutic treatments is that there are no efficient success controls and the quality of the therapists is not transparent to the patients. Similar to the recently installed medical navigators at some statutory health insurances - online portals for the evaluation of physicians - a similar project should provide for more transparency in the field of psychoarthritis many years ago. However, the central recording of patient experiences in a database planned by the Federal Ministry of Health failed, and so the quality of treatment for patients prior to the therapy is barely apparent until today. Especially as there are no institutionalized supervisory bodies at the level of the medical associations. Also during the course of psychotherapeutic treatment is usually for patients „not realizing how good a therapist is“, explained the Bern psychotherapy researcher Franz Caspar to the „World on Sunday“.

Mental suffering is a major cost factor in the healthcare system
The number of patients with mental health problems who have doubts about their therapist's treatment quality was confirmed by a pilot project by Independent Patient Counseling (UPD) carried out last year, in which a telephone hotline for psychotherapeutic treatment was set up for five months. The rush was unexpectedly high and the UPD was due to the high number of inquiries „literally overrun“ said the expert of Independent Patient Counseling, Anne Dietel, to the „World on Sunday“. Most of those affected did not complain about it „the effectiveness of the treatment“, but were dissatisfied „with the therapist or the way the treatment was performed“, stressed the UPD expert. However, as the above figures indicate for the unsuccessful or counterproductive psychotherapeutic treatments, the dissatisfaction of many patients at this point is quite justified. An improved controlling in the area of ​​the treatment of mental health problems seems urgently needed. Not least because the treatment of emotional suffering today is one of the most costly items in the German health care system. Among the approximately 30 billion euros spent on therapies, surgeries, clinics and staff in the publicly funded health care system in Germany last year, mental illnesses rank second behind the heart disease as a cost factor, reports „World Online“. With what success the funds are used should therefore be urgently better controlled and presented to patients comprehensible. (Fp)

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