title: The impact of the amended Ontario Mental Health Act (Bill 7) on patients discharging themselves from hospital against medical advice (AMA): a preliminary study.
abstract: Bill 7, the most recent amendment to the Ontario Mental Health Act was introduced in December 1986. It has resulted in some major changes to the practice of psychiatry, especially in provincial hospitals. We compared patients who had discharged themselves against medical advice (AMA) during the six months before the Bill was enacted, with those who discharged themselves AMA in the 12 months following. Significantly more patients discharged themselves AMA in the post- than the pre-Bill period. The majority of these were potentially treatable, acutely ill individuals with schizophrenia or affective disorder. We argue that Bill 7 has largely failed in its objective to improve the overall "quality of care" to psychiatric patients, at least in the short term.
authors.affiliation: University of Western Ontario, London.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fernando
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cernovsky
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Velamoor
mesh_terms: D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010351:Patient Discharge