Comparison of readmission rate before and after joining assertive community treatment program in mental health hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Background Patients with serious mental illness frequently return to the hospital, which increases the cost of healthcare and lowers their quality of life. Programs for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) offer extensive, community-based assistance to lower the use of inpatient services. At a mental health facility in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this study evaluated the effect of ACT on hospital readmission rates. Methods At Erada & Mental Health Hospital, a retrospective analysis was carried out on 202 ACT patients who fit standard criteria and had at least three mental admissions in the preceding year. Medical data were used to extract information on hospital admissions, comorbidities, psychiatric diagnoses, and demographics. Hospital admissions were compared between the years prior to and following ACT participation. Results Participants had a mean age of 45.56 ± 11.68 years; most were male (65.3%), single (55%), non-working (91.1%), and smokers (60.4%). Schizophrenia was the most frequent diagnosis (74.8%), followed by bipolar disorder (10.4%) and schizoaffective disorder (4.5%). Before ACT, 35.1% had two admissions, 26.7% had > 2, and 20.8% had none. After ACT, 84.2% had no admissions, reflecting a significant reduction (mean 1.98 ± 1.67 vs 0.22 ± 0.53; Wilcoxon = 10.98, p < 0.001). Pre-ACT admissions were associated with gender and education, while diagnosis and hyperlipidemia also influenced admission rates. No variable significantly affected post-ACT admissions. Conclusion ACT's efficacy as a community-based intervention to enhance continuity of care and lower readmission rates was demonstrated by its correlation with a significant decrease in hospital admissions and its apparent ability to lessen disparities in pre-existing hospital utilization.