Psychiatric Episodes in General Hospitals Without Psychiatric Units
Abstract
Forty percent of inpatient psychiatric episodes are treated in general hospitals without psychiatric units, but little is known about these patients and their treatment. A survey of medical records personnel at 452 hospitals without psychiatric units revealed that the hospitals' psychiatric patients typically lived at home, were admitted through the emergency room because of a substance abuse disorder, received active medical treatment, were discharged back home after about four days, and paid with private insurance. The hospitals that treated primarily substance abusers provided a significantly different mix of treatments than did those that treated primarily patients with traditional diagnoses. The data suggest that general hospitals without psychiatric units may provide appropriate treatment for psychiatric patients, especially those with a substance abuse disorder.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).