Psychiatric Emergency Services

The psychiatric emergency services at the Pitkäniemi Hospital's acute psychiatric outpatient clinic are available every day around the clock. The emergency services also cover psychiatric services for adolescents.

Severe mental disorders are examined and treated in accordance with the regionally agreed treatment grading. The primary treatment place for psychiatric disorders is the patient's home municipality's outpatient mental health care services. Patients with substance abuse disorders can use the substance abuse services provided by the home municipality.

A physician's referral is always needed to seek help from the psychiatric emergency services. The referral may be a so-called regular emergency services referral or a monitoring referral for involuntary treatment.

The emergency services outpatient clinic will assess the patient's need for treatment. Some patients can go back home after the situation has been sorted out. Some may be taken into a short treatment period of 1–3 days in the acute psychiatric ward 7. The majority of patients arriving at the psychiatric emergency services are admitted into ward treatment. It is recommended that the family members or friends of a patient coming to the clinic participate in the patient's arrival interview as well.

A preliminary treatment plan is designed upon arrival and specified further during treatment in the ward. The patient is treated in collaboration between the patient, an interprofessional work group, family members and outpatient care units and workers.

The patient's follow-up treatment in outpatient mental health services is planned during the ward treatment.

Persons in charge

Deputy Chief Psychiatrist Jari-Pekka Klemettilä
Ward Manager Raija Salonen