Quality Standard Details
Schizophrenia: Care for Adults in Hospitals
- Publication Date
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2023-March-01
- Status
- Published
- Topic Area
- Mental Health and Addictions
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Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic mental health condition that usually begins when a person is in late adolescence or early adulthood. In Canada, about 1% of the population has schizophrenia. The disorder ranks in the top five conditions that have the highest impact on the life and health of people in Ontario.
People with schizophrenia die at a rate that is three times higher than that of the general population and die up to 15 years earlier. In addition, people with schizophrenia have an increased risk of substance use, homelessness, and unemployment.
There are substantial gaps in the quality of care that people with schizophrenia receive in Ontario; for example, people hospitalized for schizophrenia have a high rate (16.6%) of readmission within 30 days of discharge.
This quality standard addresses care for adults aged 18 years and older with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia (including related disorders such as schizoaffective disorder) who are seen in an emergency department or admitted to an inpatient setting. This quality standard also includes guidance for the care of people who are transitioning from the inpatient setting to the community. Although this quality standard is focused on hospital care, some of the interventions described are likely to take place outside of the hospital following their initiation or a referral in hospital. All patients should have a follow-up visit after initiating any new treatment.
For a quality standard that addresses care for adults with schizophrenia in the community, please refer to Schizophrenia: Care in the Community for Adults.
Quality Standard in Brief
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Quality Statement 1: Comprehensive Interprofessional Assessment
Adults who are admitted to an inpatient setting with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia undergo a comprehensive interprofessional assessment that informs their care plan.
Quality Statement 2: Screening for Substance Use
Adults who present to an emergency department or in an inpatient setting with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia are assessed for substance use and, if appropriate, offered treatment for concurrent disorders.
Quality Statement 3: Physical Health Assessment
Adults who are admitted to an inpatient setting with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia undergo a physical health assessment focusing on conditions common in people with schizophrenia. This assessment informs their care plan.
Quality Statement 4: Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Eating
Adults who are admitted to an inpatient setting with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia are offered interventions that promote both physical activity and healthy eating.
Quality Statement 5: Promoting Smoking Cessation
Adults who are admitted to an inpatient setting with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia and who smoke tobacco are offered behavioural and pharmacological interventions to alleviate nicotine-withdrawal symptoms and to help them reduce or stop smoking tobacco.
Quality Statement 6: Treatment With Clozapine
Adults who are admitted to an inpatient setting with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, and whose symptoms have not responded to previous adequate trials of treatment with two different antipsychotic medications, are offered clozapine.
Quality Statement 7: Treatment With Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Medication
Adults who are admitted to an inpatient setting with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia are offered the option of a long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication.
Quality Statement 8: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis
Adults who are admitted to an inpatient setting with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia are offered individual cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis, either in the inpatient setting or as part of a post-discharge care plan.
Quality Statement 9: Family Intervention
Adults who are admitted to an inpatient setting with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia are offered family intervention.
Quality Statement 10: Follow-Up Appointment After Discharge
Adults with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia who are discharged from an inpatient setting have a follow-up appointment within seven days.
Quality Statement 11: Transitions in Care
Adults with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia who are discharged from an inpatient setting have a team or provider who is accountable for communication and the coordination and delivery of a care plan that is tailored to their needs.
Supporting Documents
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Patient guide for this quality standard
Know what to ask for in your care
Placemat for this quality standard
A quick-reference resource for clinicians that summarizes the quality standard and includes links to helpful resources and tools
Quality improvement tools and resources for health care professionals, including an action plan template
Supplementary information to support the data collection and measurement process
Additional Resources
If you would like to receive these resources, please send us a message using our contact form:
- Case for improvement (slide deck)
Share why this standard was created and the data behind it, to get the support you need to put it into practice - Technical specifications
See the technical specifications for the indicators within the quality standard - Spotlight report
Know what successful quality standard implementation looks like, based on examples from the field - Tools to support patient care
- Summary of the public feedback we received
- Case for improvement (slide deck)
Last Updated: February 24, 2026
