AHCA - Involuntary Psychiatric Examination and Psychiatric Hospitalization of Nursing Home Residents

About the Project

Importance of the study:

The ability of nursing homes (NHs) to manage the mental health needs of their residents, preventing exacerbations of psychiatric conditions that trigger involuntary psychiatric or Baker Act (BA) examination and/or psychiatric hospitalization, are central to providing quality care. Because involuntary psychiatric examinations and hospitalizations are costly and disruptive for NH residents, and because resident and facility characteristics have been reported to affect usage and expenditure for these services, it is important to understand what predicts risk for these events within the nursing home population.

This study is a necessary first step in designing Medicaid policies aimed at reducing preventable psychiatric hospitalizations and BA examinations within Florida’s nursing home population. Such information could contribute substantially toward improving quality of life and care for NH residents with mental illness.

Principal Investigator

Marion Becker, RN, PhD

Funding Agency

Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA)

Dates

07/01/2006 - 06/30/2007