ABSTRACT
The reduction of costs in favor of increased profits is an obvious goal in applying a business model to any enterprise. While a laudable objective on its face, the developing mandate to reduce psychiatric hospital lengths of stay is based primarily on financial considerations with no scientifically derived clinical rationale. Minimizing the length of inpatient stays, on a case-by-case basis, might be a best practice, but it is difficult to see how the one-size-fits-all business trend could have any long-term positive clinical outcomes. In the absence of available substantial outpatient services (including day treatment), the results spell little more than eventual disaster for many patients. This chapter describes the current process in detail.
