Comprehensive utilization management: the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital model

One of the main thrusts of the 1990s is increased accountability in the provision of medical and psychiatric services. In response to the pressure to provide more cost-effective services, several initiatives have been implemented to reduce expenditures in health care settings while improving quality of patient care. the most recent introduction of such initiatives is utilization management. Whitby Psychiatric Hospital's comprehensive utilization management program provides a model that can be adapted to any health care facility.