The Cost of Psychotherapy
The Cost of Psychotherapy. Economic and Operational Evaluation of a Day Psychotherapy Unit, N. Polyzos, V. Bardis, D. Bartzokas, G. Pierrakos, K. Pantelaki, H. Kostopoulos. Foreword: I.K. Tsegos. Editing-Conclusions: N. Karapostoli. Athens: Alternative Editions, 2004.
From the back cover:
“… for the preparation of such a study, there were partly public relations or “communication” reasons, as they are called, since in our country such projects, even when successful, are difficult to convince the unsuspecting that they can be achieved by amateurs in economics, and especially by those “unacceptable” in “gifts”, percentages, subsidies, “packages”! Thus, the gossipy whispers were not lacking, coming mainly from those who were overcharged in recent years – with positions, salaries and other benefits – in various “scams”, which make it easier for such “fighters” to hurl firecrackers of doubt against those who do not follow the beaten track. Although the establishment of a civic non-profit organization is provided for by law, however, over the last twenty years, when it is not subsidized by the state or is not intertwined with state or party services, then it is considered rather suspicious and certainly, deep down, speculative! It seems that honest and efficient Greek citizens descend only into the public sector … However, this was not the “a decisive reason for the study, since such “special needs” of several progressive “regulars” were known to us, they became even more self-evident when we were informed by the experts that no similar study exists for a corresponding public organization!”
The present study, among others, ends up debunking the myth that psychotherapy is expensive (the patient’s cost ranges between 5.08 euros per hour for participation in many sociotherapeutic groups in the Community and 18.33 euros per hour for participation in Group Analysis or 35 euros for Dyadic Psychotherapy.
CONTENTS
Nikolaos M. Polyzos, Foreword
Ioannis K. Tsegos, Foreword
A. INTRODUCTION
1. Mental health from the perspective of public health
2. The state of mental health in Greece
B. PURPOSE AND FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY
1. Purpose of the study
2. Description of the framework: Open Psychotherapy Centre
C. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COSTING OF HEALTH SERVICES AND METHODOLOGY
1. Basic principles of costing of health services
2. Methodology
D. RESULTS
1. Long-term trends in the financial figures of the Open Psychotherapy Centre
2. Income of the Open Psychotherapy Centre
3. Expenditures of the Open Psychotherapy Centre
4. Financial analysis
5. Cost-benefit analysis of activity sectors
6. The cost of psychotherapy for the patient
7. Swot Analysis-Suggestions
8. Review of the results of the research
E. CONCLUSIONS-Discussion
N. Karapostoli
1. Comparative evaluation of the cost of psychiatric services
2. Correlation of the economic analysis of the OPC with its operating principles