Implementing family based treatment in a child and youth eating disorder program: impact on admissions.

OBJECTIVES

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) treatment is frequently associated with high costs often due to the use of hospitalization. In Family Based Treatment (FBT) a main goal is to manage recovery of AN in the home environment rather than relying on lengthy hospital admissions. This study examined whether the use of hospitalization altered following the introduction of FBT to a youth eating disorders program in 2009.

METHOD: This study compared retrospective data of 71 female adolescent patients diagnosed with AN: 10 who received treatment as usual prior to the implementation of FBT; 10 who were treated immediately after FBT implementation; and a further 51 adolescents who received FBT since 2009.

RESULTS

Results indicate that since the implementation of FBT there was a significant reduction in admissions to the medical ward and a significant reduction in cumulative length of stay on both the psychiatric and medical wards in adolescents presenting with AN.