The admissions process in two state psychiatric hospitals

Area of Science:

• Psychiatric hospital admissions
• Mental health services research

Background:

• The admissions process for psychiatric hospitals is complex and influenced by multiple factors.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for efficient resource allocation and patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test a conceptual model of factors influencing psychiatric admissions in state hospitals.
• To identify key determinants of admission decisions.

Main Methods:

• A conceptual model was developed and tested in two state psychiatric hospitals.
• Factors analyzed included patient characteristics, admitting personnel, system factors, and patient assessment.

Main Results:

• Attitudes of accompanying individuals were highly influential in admissions.
• Referrals from external agencies (police, courts, family) increased admission likelihood compared to self-referrals.
• Behaviors indicating mental disorder or danger significantly impacted admissions.
• Availability of community alternatives did not significantly affect admission decisions.

Conclusions:

• Admissions are heavily influenced by referral source and patient's behavioral indicators of risk.
• Current admitting practices may not adequately consider community-based alternatives.
• There is a need to educate psychiatric admitting personnel, especially psychiatrists, on community alternatives to mitigate rising admission rates.