Retired psychiatrist
Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Wesepe, Overijssel, Netherlands
Together with Ulrik Malt (Norway), Antonio Lobo (Spain) and Thomas Herzog (Germany) I have been the initiator of the largest health service study in CLP. It was performed in 11 European countries in 1991 including 56 services, 250 consultants and 14770 patients. It resulted in a better understanding of the work and population of CL psychiatrists. It has created a network which merged in the EAPM. Together with James Strain (USA), Graeme Smith (Australia) and Roger we established a global network ultimately leading to a formal relation between the ACLP and the EAPM. This network has been a stimulus to create international multi centered research projects. In addition James Strain's statement 'When doing a consult one often wonders why a consult was not asked for the adjacent patient too?' led to the development of an integrated (biopsychosocial) risk assessment and management system to detect and serve complex patients. As hospitalizations are costly it is important to early signal complex co-morbid patients in order to take preventive- and longterm measures to avoid unnecessary costs and suffering. This study was initiated by a European group with among others Fritz Stiefel (Lausanne Switzerland) and Wolfgang Söllner (Nurnberg Germany). It was supported by the European Union and later joined by Roger Kathol (FACLP, Hackett Award). He adjusted it to the US health care system. It is currently used by health service consultants providing their services to hospitals and health plans to improve the care of their complex patients and avoiding unnecessary costs (Cartesian Solutions).
I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.