title: The discriminating characteristics of for-profit versus not-for-profit freestanding psychiatric inpatient facilities.
abstract: This study examines the characteristics that discriminate between ownership types among private, freestanding psychiatric inpatient facilities in the United States. Use of data from the Inventory of Mental Health Organizations (National Institute of Mental Health 1983, 1986), revealed that not-for-profits provide more services and serve more of the underinsured, while for-profits serve the better insured, concentrate primarily on inpatient services, and serve more children, adolescents, and substance abusers. A surplus bed capacity among for-profit psychiatric hospitals is presumed to contribute to lower occupancy rates and less turnover in the for-profit sector. Not-for-profit psychiatric facilities are also found to be more involved in professional training and to be more accessible through emergency services. However, the misclassification test in the discriminant procedure reveals that a significant group of not-for-profit facilities looks more like its for-profit counterpart group than like other not-for-profits. Study findings are interpreted both in terms of debates over the tax-exempt status of not-for-profit hospitals and the potential negative service effects of proprietization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104-2648.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Culhane
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Hadley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001509:Bed Occupancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002201:Capital Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006777:Hospitals, Proprietary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000145:classification / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006788:Hospitals, Voluntary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007358:Insurance, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008489:Medical Indigency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010067:Ownership / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education; D014481:United States