Clinical Review
Over 100 Unnecessary Psychiatric Admissions
Case in Point
Fed Pract. 2004 September;21(9):43
Author and Disclosure Information
Roy R. Reeves, DO, PhD, Ray Kimble, MD, and Randy S. Burke, PhD
Dr. Reeves is the associate chief of mental health, Dr. Kimble is a staff psychiatrist, and Dr. Burke is a staff psychologist, all at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center, Jackson, MS. In addition, Dr. Reeves is a professor of psychiatry and neurology, Dr. Kimble is an assistant professor of psychiatry, and Dr. Burke is a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry, all at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Jackson.
Besides driving up health care costs, patterns of unnecessary hospitalization hurt patients by delaying appropriate intervention. This case illustrates what can go wrong when providers fail to recognize and address the problems underlying such behavior.