Psychiatric Short-Stay Units across Canada *

Abstract

The limited literature on brief hospitalization programs raised questions about the actual extent of use of this process in Canada. Inquiry was first made to all Health Ministers, University Department Heads and Section Chairmen. A questionnaire was mailed to the hospitals identified and this also requested any supplementary names of units known to the respondents. Initially, 22 hospitals were named as having short-stay units, but eight of these proved not to have one. Basic data on the 14 units actually found is provided. It is suggested that units of this type could be separated into two main groups according to the rate of discharge of patients directly into the community. Those with a high community discharge rate might be called Short-Stay Treatment Units and those with a lower community discharge rate might be known as Assessment Units. The former tend to have fewer admissions per bed, lower occupancy rates, somewhat longer LOS and location in or near the main psychiatric inpatient unit. These factors tend to be reversed in the latter.