title: Goal-directed treatment planning and the principles of brief hospitalization.
abstract: Contemporary economic pressures to shorten hospitalization have produced serious confusion in child psychiatry, for no adequate rationale has been proposed to replace that appropriate to long-term inpatient care. In order to address this serious deficiency, the principle of hospital stabilization is introduced and discussed, along with the concept of goal-directed planning. The steps of goal-directed planning are presented. It is contended that the educational, communicative, medicolegal, and research advantages of goal-directed planning outweigh its disadvantages and that goal-direction should replace intuitive therapy-oriented planning and problem-orientation.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nurcombe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital