Competency evaluations in a VA hospital. A 10-year perspective.
The authors reviewed all 228 competency evaluations performed at the Baltimore VA Medical Center during a 10-year period. Between 1980 and 1984 and 1985 and 1989, the rate of inpatients who had competency evaluations increased from 0.20% to 0.42%, and the average number of competency evaluations per year doubled from 12 to 24.6. The percentage of all psychiatric consultations which were for competency evaluation nearly doubled from 5% to 9.4%. The rate of competency evaluations was slightly but not significantly higher for patients over age 65 than the rate for younger patients (0.44% vs. 0.33%). However, older patients were significantly more likely to be judged incompetent.
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
F E
FE
Knowles
J
J
Liberto
F M
FM
Baker
P E
PE
Ruskin
A
A
Raskin
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015142:Baltimore; D005260:Female; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016312:Treatment Refusal