Clozapine, Clozaril treatment in a state hospital, abstract

Clozapine (Clozaril) therapy in a state hospital: Patient care and policy implications -1996

Jerry L. Dennis1, Dennis McBride1, Paul D. Peterson2 and Nancy Corley-Wheeler3

(1) Western State Hospital, Washington
(2) Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, USA
(3) Good Samaritan Mental Health Services, USA
(4) The Washington Institute, 9601 Steilacoom Boulevard, S.W., 98498 Tacoma, WA


Abstract

This study assessed the effectiveness and costs of clozapine use with persons experiencing refractory chronic schizophrenia in a state hospital environment. All patients (112) placed on clozapine therapy between May 1990 and March 1992, and who remained on or were discontinued from clozapine therapy and not restarted were followed.

Discharge rates, incidents and hours of seclusion and restraint, incidents and hours of authorized leave and scores on the Modified Nurses Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOSIE) were collected. The results found that few discharged patients returned to the hospital and lower community maintenance costs produced substantial savings in overall public support costs. Clozapine therapy is a cost effective alternative for the treatment of refractory schizophrenia.An abbreviated version of this paper was presented at the Fourth Annual Conference on State Mental Health Agency Services Research in 1993.

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August 21, 2009 ramble

The following week would change everything it had been (unlocked with freedom) for 2 years, with her ending up being handcuffed by a horrible police woman who found her missing and shoved her into the gravel; then 2 days later committed by the state funded group home to a locked psych ward, only to be transferred to WSH on December 21, 2009, just before Christmas, her birthday and against a judge's recommendation.

Wednesday, Clozaril day: (click to read and see the view from the road)

August 21, 2009

spaghetti wednesday week

" i spend a lot of time in the car and have for years driving to and from various places my daughter has been. i was sitting in traffic on wednesday on the 60+mile round trip to pick her up and back to the clozaril blood draw. it's good to go get a blood test done where lab techs are kind, and know a person, thus my driving her once a month, it's worth it.

anyway, i was intrigued that i had this view from the car window at a traffic light.

what a glorious little traffic intersection flower garden!

i thought how it was pleasant that i saw a window-framed monet of sort. so i took the photo with my cell phone. the view out that window has been a constant for so many years it's ridiculous.

that day, i started a crock pot meat spaghetti sauce before i left in the morning. after 8 hours of slow cooking, it was culinary bliss.

thick, with stew beef that broke tender into tiny bits, garlic, parsley, mushrooms and onion and a dash or two of pinot noir toward the end of cooking. this morning there was a shrieking bird over the yard and i went outside to investigate (very loud) and it was an eagle. very interesting and amazing too. strange, to be annoyed at a shrieking bird like an eagle...it's rare and i can't take that for granted. i've really been grateful for the wooded area i live. it's been a nice solace. as are the various gardens i find over the years, even on the road."