Involuntary and voluntary psychiatric patients: a pilot study of resource consumption

This pilot study compares the resources utilized caring for "voluntary" and "involuntary" patients in a community hospital inpatient psychiatric unit. "Voluntary" patients committed less episodes of violence. "Emergency involuntaries" experienced more episodes of restraint and were involved in more violent episodes than "other involuntaries". A critical predictor of behavior was whether patients were brought to the hospital by police. Implications for public policy and psychiatric DRGs (diagnosis related groups) are discussed.