[Patient characteristics, length of stay and readmission rates--indicators of the development of inpatient psychiatric treatment?]

Abstract

The paper submitted deals with the shrinking number of in-patients in psychiatric institutions and proves that this downward trend is not to be explained merely by the introduction of psychotropic drugs.--The method of calculation and the term "average duration of stay" are critically discussed, with reference to other possible parameters as indicators of psychiatric in-patient facilities.--It is shown, in the light of recent and controlled studies, that short hospitalization can be at least as effective and successful as a conventional hospital treatment program, and that a shorter stay in hospital does not inevitably imply an increased risk of readmittance.--A comparison between the Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Bern (PUK) and all psychiatric hospitals in Switzerland shows in 1980 a 50% higher rate of admissions per hospital bed, a 20% shorter duration of stay, and the extremely high average rate of 98% of beds occupied, that is approximately 10% more than the average number of beds occupied in the other clinics referred to. In spite of the comparatively short duration of stay in the Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Bern, that is 27 days (median), a further cut in length of stay seems feasible, without provoking an increase of the low rate of 21% of readmissions per annum.