Am J Psychiatry 1975; 132:851-855
Copyright © 1975 by American Psychiatric Association
Utilization review of treatment of suicide attempters: chart review as patient care evaluation
L Kirstein and MM Weissman
The authors reviewed the charts of 36 nonhospitalized suicide attempters
who were identified by utilization review as requiring hospitalization. In
16 of the cases, the authors judged the treatment given to have been
adequate because of an absence of a history of psychiatric treatment and/or
the rapidity with which outpatient treatment was instiituted. Ten of the
cases were judged to have been inadequately treated. This finding pointed
to have been inadequately treated. This finding pointed to specific
deficiencies in the training of residents and the delivery of psychiatric
services and illustrates how chart review can be used to upgrade
psychiatric care.
