The future of research in private psychiatric hospitals

The private psychiatric hospital setting offers some unique advantages as a locus for research. They are often able to serve as settings for clinical research programs which are, in many cases, more pragmatic than research in university settings. Types of studies which might be conducted in the private psychiatric hospital setting include focused diagnostic studies, the recovery process, psychobiological screening, psychopharmacological treatment trials, longitudinal studies, alternative delivery and training systems, and consortium studies. Funding for research exists in both the public and private sectors, with most of the money coming from the federal government. Applicants should be well-versed in the grant application at the National Institute of Mental Health.