[Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Acceptance of a New Ambulatory Care System].

Objective: To evaluate a new ambulatory care system in outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry based on the web-based Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA).

Methods: We analyzed patient paths (flows), acceptance, satisfaction, and staff costs in the newly implemented care model.

Results: The new model was very well accepted by the respondents (DAWBA response rate: 92 %). A third of the patients registered with the psychiatric service in 2012 were not in need of psychiatric treatment and were therefore referred to other psycho-social services. The additional staff costs of $ 200 per case might be low compared to the saved costs due to the avoidance of inappropriate medical care.

Conclusion: The new ambulatory care model proved to be effective, efficient and broadly accepted when resources are strictly limited.