In an increasingly cost-conscious health care environment, average length of hospital stay has decreased. Although psychiatric inpatient treatment is largely exempt from the constraints of the Medicare diagnosis related groups (DRG's), length of stay for geropsychiatric hospital services has decreased also. A trend toward higher rates of early…

Uncompensated/free care and community service obligations under the Hill-Burton Act can assist substantially in providing needed health care services to the Black community. Blacks, however, must become knowledgeable about these obligations, develop monitoring projects, and be prepared to take legal steps to bring Hill-Burton facilities into…

Describes the health care functions provided for the Black community by urban public hospitals; considers the impact of Federal retrenchment on these institutions; and examines the negative impact on Blacks, other minorities, and the poor that the sale of urban public hospitals to private, for-profit chains will have. (GC)

Elaborates on standards of care for assessment, management, and treatment of hospitalized suicidal patients. Attempts to synthesize concepts of minimal standard of care with clinical risk management and clinical judgment. Points out areas of overlap and shows where optimum care diverges from legal standards of care. Tables differentiate…

This edition of the Role of Market Forces program note suggests empirical and descriptive analyses required to complement new areas of health policy emphasis and direction. Eight areas and related questions involving health economics are outlined: (1) rural health care; (2) medical malpractice and insurance; (3) supply, productivity, and…

This description of the Cedar Valley Hospice program emphasizes palliative and supportive care for terminally ill patients and their families. The history of the hospice movement is outlined along with a description of the Cedar Valley program and the results of a 1980 program evaluation. The appendices contain a statement of the hospice goals and…