Recovery is Beautiful

When beginning to research treatment options for eating disorders, most people, if not all, have little or no familiarity with the terminology. As discussions begin, professionals hit you with terms like IOP, IP, PHP and others. Not only do they not understand the abbreviations, they also are not certain of the differences between them. Here is a brief overview for the uninitiated concerning treatment options, what they mean and when they are appropriate.

1 – Inpatient (IP)
This is usually the most intense and serious of the treatment options. Inpatient usually means in a hospital setting but there treatment centers that meet the definition of inpatient for insurance purposes that are look more like a college dorm setting than a hospital. Inpatient is 24 on-site monitoring by nurses, medical doctors, therapists and a psychiatrist. Inpatient can last from 30 days or more depending on the severity of the eating disorder and the progression of recovery. It is not uncommon to be in inpatient for 3 to 5 months.

2 – Residential
This is the hardest type of facility to get insurance to cover. Residential means a facility that has similar care as the inpatient but is in a more relaxed, home-like setting. These facilities normal can care for to 60 patients at any one time depending on size and staff. Most residential facilities can not provide care for those who are in the most serious stages of an eating disorder. Many require that the patient be medically stable and be above a minimum weight for their body. If insurance will not cover residential treatment, be sure to check the plans definition of “residential.” Many times the insurance definition will not match what the residential treatment facility provides.

3 – Partial Hospitalization (PHP)
PHP is often provided by facilities that also provide inpatient or residential treatment but not always. This level of care basically means that you are medically-stable but are still in serious need of treatment. Basically, being in treatment becomes your job. PHP treatment can be anywhere from 3 to 7 days of care for 4 to 8 hours a day. The patient does not stay overnight and may need to arrange breakfast and/or dinner on their own. This can also be a step-down level for some who have been in IP or Residential treatment. Basically, this is residential or inpatient treatment without the lodging.

4 – Intensive Outpatient (IOP)
Intensive Outpatient is very similar to PHP but is usually 2-4 days a week and may only consist of 2 to 4 hours each day. Many facilities offer an evening IOP option for those who are in school or have a job. This can be an important treatment option for those in the early stages of an eating disorder who need more than once a week outpatient treatment. This is also another step-down option for those in a higher level of treatment.

5 – Outpatient
This option is where most people start. This would normally be a visit to a therapist once or twice a week for an hour. Nutritional Therapy would also be included here. When people return from higher levels of treatment, outpatient treatment is to be continued on a regular basis to continue the recovery process. Usually, this is the easiest level of treatment to be covered by insurance but are often limited to 20 to 40 mental health visits per year depending on your plan.

6 – Transitional
There are some facilities that offer transitional care for those leaving treatment and returning to normal life. These facilities continue to offer counseling services and the patient works at a job or school or some other activity during the day and returns to the transitional program at night.

7 – Support Group
This is the most basic but often a very helpful level of treatment. This is an entry-level treatment for those looking for answers and support. Here they meet others who are struggling or in recovery and can see they are not in this alone. Support groups are an important part of a patients aftercare program as well. Contact your therapist or local hospitals for information on support groups in your area.

(Source: http://www.eatingdisordertreatmentreview.com/blog/eating-disorder-treatment-options-2)

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