An inpatient hospital stay is the most intensive level of mental healthcare. If you or a family member are suffering from a severe mental health issue, are having acute psychiatric symptoms, are having thoughts of hurting yourself or others, or are finding that a less intensive program is not working well enough, a short-term inpatient stay may be helpful.
In the Sutter Health network, we offer inpatient mental healthcare at several facilities. Each facility is safe and secure, and is staffed with compassionate health professionals who provide patients with structure and consistency, and treatment that is focused on solving problems and helping you return to good mental health.
Once admitted to one of our facilities, you’ll receive a thorough mental and physical health evaluation, using tools similar to those offered to outpatients. Your doctor will then work with you to develop a comprehensive treatment plan, which may include a variety of types of therapeutic counseling, including family, group or individual sessions. We will also work with your family members to help them understand your condition and what they can do to help.
If you have been struggling with your mental health for a while, and your illness has not responded to psychotherapy or medication, your doctor may suggest a treatment that alters the functioning of the brain through various means and relieves symptoms. We offer treatment options including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). During VNS, a pacemaker-like device is surgically implanted in your chest. The device sends mild electrical pulses to your brain by way of the vagus nerve in your neck. The pulses alter neurotransmitters in your brain that are associated with mood.
Another treatment option is ketamine infusion therapy (KIT). Ketamine, an anesthetic, has been found to quickly relieve severe depression in some people who have not responded to other treatments. It is infused, or slowly delivered by intravenous line, and must be repeated regularly as the effects last only a few days.
In the Sutter Health network, we understand that being hospitalized for a mental health condition can be a frightening prospect for the patient and his or her family members. Please be assured that our goal is to stabilize your condition and help you move to a less intensive level of care as soon as possible to continue your treatment. We want to help you resume your role in the community and in your family, and continue with a lifetime of good mental health.
