Psychoeducation is cost effective and cost-saving

One intervention available in the treatment of mental illness is psychoeducation – teaching patients and families about causes, signs and symptoms, treatments, when to get help, and who to call. Psychoeducation is often offered in multifamily groups, to help families recognize they are not alone in dealing with the challenges of mental illness.

A recent study investigated the cost of providing multifamily group psychoeducation to individuals with first-episode psychosis and their families. This study used statistical simulation to estimate the cost and burden of illness associated with usual treatment, and compared it to the usual treatment plus multifamily group psychoeducation.

The researchers found that, when provided for two years, multifamily group psychoeducation ranged from a cost-effective to a cost-saving intervention, depending on the clinical benefits achieved by staff delivering the intervention. It is definitely worth the investment in time and money.

Patient and family education helps families understand what is happening, how to intervene early, and prevents costly problems. In our environment of shrinking resources, patient education is a valuable, low-tech tool for saving money, improving health outcomes, and improving patient satisfaction.

Source: Breitborde, N. J., Woods, S. W., & Srihari, V. H. (2009). Multifamily psychoeducation for first-episode psychosis: a cost-effectiveness analysis. Psychiatr Serv, 60(11), 1477-1483