Med-psych units. Financial viability and quality assurance.

摘要: Although medical-psychiatric units may have unique advantages for treating patients with combined medical and psychiatric illness, they be costly to run, their success requires a sound financial basis. This begins filling beds instituting waiting list, then setting admission priorities regulate case mix deliberately address as well ethical clinical considerations. Development of short-stay geropsychiatric evaluation services offset problems associated long stays elderly requiring definitive treatment complex conditions. Data are presented show the effectiveness deliberate regulation mix. Regarding quality assurance, key issues include maintaining documentation meet HCFA standards DRG exemption, effectively integrating physical care, special focus on drug interactions toxicities drugs. Effective multidisciplinary planning meeting help in this effort, do periodic walking rounds focusing specifically pharmacologic issues. Denials payment by third parties most likely problem when both illness subacute but interaction conjoint inpatient treatment. Prospective work PROs can minimize retrospective denials.