Follow-up results from a psychosomatic outpatient clinic

On the background of the German situation of psychosomatic medicine as an independent department beside the psychiatric clinic, we describe the theoretical issues, organizational structure and functioning of a psychosomatic outpatient clinic. 186 consecutive referrals were analyzed. The ratio of man to woman was 1:2, mean age was 32 years (range 17-58). About half of the patients suffered from psychogenic disorders (according DSM-III criteria subsumed to the category of 'psychological factors affecting physical condition'), 21% had anxiety disturbances, and of the remaining patients 15% had affective illnesses and 13% somatoform disorders. There were three treatment conditions: inpatient psychotherapy, outpatient individual or group psychotherapy and family therapy. Follow-up results (2 years after the first contact) give some hints on the effectiveness of the different treatment procedures. The results show that the psychosomatic outpatient clinic may offer treatment for a specific patient population whose characteristics differ significantly from those of patients treated in consultation liaison services as well as by practicing psychotherapists.