The authors raise the question of whether the directly supervised
initial evaluation of outpatients by psychiatric residents influences the
quality of patient care. The charts of 78 patients with direct supervision
and 78 patients with traditional supervision were randomly selected for
review four months after the initial interview. More than twice as many
patients with direct supervision remained in active treatment or terminated
after successful short-term treatment compared with traditionally
supervised patients in the early intake period. Patients with direct
supervision also received a less pathological diagnosis.Abstract Teaser