Nicholas A. Cummings

Inpatient and outpatient psychiatric treatment: The effect of matching patients to appropriate level of treatment on psychiatric and medical-surgical hospital days

Abstract The effects of inpatient or outpatient treatment for psychiatric disorder on posttreatment hospital days were examined for 106 Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) patients who initially presented for inpatient treatment. Based on a complete mental status examination and the availability of appropriate treatment alternatives, 15% were admitted to inpatient and 85% were referred for intensive outpatient treatment. In the 12 months following treatment, (a) neither group had further psychiatric hospital days and (b) those treated on an outpatient basis had fewer medical-surgical hospital days. Number of medical-surgical hospital days was lower for patients who completed the full treatment plan. These results complemented experimental research regarding the clinical effectiveness of outpatient treatment alternatives.