Decision to admit. Criteria for admission and readmission to a Veterans Administration hospital

Factors related to the decision to hospitalize applicants for psychiatric treatment at a Veterans Administration hospital were explored. For a three-week period, decision makers completed questionnaires following interviews with applicants. It was found that 79% of applicants were "revolving door" patients. These patients were much less likely to be married, and more likely to be homeless and diagnosed as schizophrenic, than patients without previous hospitalizations. A small number of patients were admitted because of characteristics of their illness regardless of their social situations. Patients were not hospitalized on the basis of social or nonpsychiatric criteria alone. A large number were admitted because of a combination of factors, some social in nature and others related to their psychopathology. A social process taking place in the screening interview appeared to have some influence in the decision to admit.