The Effects of State Psychiatric Hospital Waitlist Policies on Length of Stay and Time to Readmission

Elizabeth Holdsworth La; Ruoqing Zhu; Kristen Hassmiller Lich; Alan R. Ellis; Marvin S. Swartz; Michael R. Kosorok; Joseph P. Morrissey

doi:10.1007/s10488-014-0573-1

The Effects of State Psychiatric Hospital Waitlist Policies on Length of Stay and Time to Readmission

Elizabeth Holdsworth La, Ruoqing Zhu, Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Alan R. Ellis, Marvin S. Swartz, Michael R. Kosorok, Joseph P. Morrissey

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study examined the effects of a waitlist policy for state psychiatric hospitals on length of stay and time to readmission using data from North Carolina for 2004–2010. Cox proportional hazards models tested the hypothesis that patients were discharged “quicker-but-sicker” post-waitlist, as hospitals struggled to manage admission delays and quickly admit waitlisted patients. Results refute this hypothesis, indicating that waitlists were associated with increased length of stay and time to readmission. Further research is needed to evaluate patients’ clinical outcomes directly and to examine the impact of state hospital waitlists in other areas, such as state hospital case mix, local emergency departments, and outpatient mental health agencies.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	332-342
Number of pages	11
Journal	Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Volume	42
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0573-1
State	Published - May 1 2015
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Patterns of utilization
Policy analysis
State psychiatric hospitals
Waitlist

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Phychiatric Mental Health
Health Policy
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Psychiatry and Mental health

Online availability

10.1007/s10488-014-0573-1

Library availability

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Cite this

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title = "The Effects of State Psychiatric Hospital Waitlist Policies on Length of Stay and Time to Readmission",

abstract = "This study examined the effects of a waitlist policy for state psychiatric hospitals on length of stay and time to readmission using data from North Carolina for 2004–2010. Cox proportional hazards models tested the hypothesis that patients were discharged “quicker-but-sicker” post-waitlist, as hospitals struggled to manage admission delays and quickly admit waitlisted patients. Results refute this hypothesis, indicating that waitlists were associated with increased length of stay and time to readmission. Further research is needed to evaluate patients{\textquoteright} clinical outcomes directly and to examine the impact of state hospital waitlists in other areas, such as state hospital case mix, local emergency departments, and outpatient mental health agencies.",

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AU - Lich, Kristen Hassmiller

AU - Ellis, Alan R.

AU - Swartz, Marvin S.

AU - Kosorok, Michael R.

AU - Morrissey, Joseph P.

PY - 2015/5/1

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N2 - This study examined the effects of a waitlist policy for state psychiatric hospitals on length of stay and time to readmission using data from North Carolina for 2004–2010. Cox proportional hazards models tested the hypothesis that patients were discharged “quicker-but-sicker” post-waitlist, as hospitals struggled to manage admission delays and quickly admit waitlisted patients. Results refute this hypothesis, indicating that waitlists were associated with increased length of stay and time to readmission. Further research is needed to evaluate patients’ clinical outcomes directly and to examine the impact of state hospital waitlists in other areas, such as state hospital case mix, local emergency departments, and outpatient mental health agencies.

AB - This study examined the effects of a waitlist policy for state psychiatric hospitals on length of stay and time to readmission using data from North Carolina for 2004–2010. Cox proportional hazards models tested the hypothesis that patients were discharged “quicker-but-sicker” post-waitlist, as hospitals struggled to manage admission delays and quickly admit waitlisted patients. Results refute this hypothesis, indicating that waitlists were associated with increased length of stay and time to readmission. Further research is needed to evaluate patients’ clinical outcomes directly and to examine the impact of state hospital waitlists in other areas, such as state hospital case mix, local emergency departments, and outpatient mental health agencies.

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The Effects of State Psychiatric Hospital Waitlist Policies on Length of Stay and Time to Readmission

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Online availability

Library availability

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