Treatment protocol of suicidal behavior in a day hospital setting

The complex nature of suicide suggests that complex interventions are necessary for suicide prevention and for treatment and follow-up of patients with suicidal behavior. A common problem is the patient’ s destiny after the eventual life-saving primary medical care given in the inpatient units while the increased suicidal risk associated with discharge is in contrast with the possible negative consequences of psychiatric hospitalization. In these optics the authors present a treatment protocol for suicidal patients admitted to the “A.Gemelli” Hospital in Rome. All the patients, with suicide attempt, when recovered their medical problems, have been admitted in a Day Hospital setting and have been reviewed daily by an equipe of psychiatrists, nurses and social assistants. After the psychiatric evaluation and the diagnostic deepening of patients, a biological, psychological and sociological therapeutic management, turned to patient and to his family, was performed. The analysis of protocol and its impact on the prevention of suicidal behavior and suicide repetitions is discussed.