Child and adolescent psychiatry in general children's hospitals. A survey of chairs of psychiatry.

This article characterizes the academic, administrative, clinical service, and fiscal characteristics of departments of psychiatry in traditional children's hospitals to determine the characteristics of fiscally successful programs. A survey of chairs of psychiatry from short-term general children's hospitals was conducted based on 38 questions addressing the descriptive characteristics of their respective departments. The characteristics of psychiatry programs identified as fiscally successful were compared to those of programs that required subsidy. Nine of 45 eligible children's hospitals (20%) did not have a department or section of psychiatry, and surveys were returned by 35 of 36 department chairs (97% response). Considerable variation exists in the academic, administrative, clinical services, and fiscal characteristics of programs, although over half are operating at a deficit. Fiscal success was associated with availability of inpatient and intermediate levels of psychiatric care, better integration of the psychiatry program within the children's hospital, and adequate fiscal information being provided to the psychiatry chair. Additional research regarding the potential of psychiatric services to generate clinical success and cost savings is warranted. Pediatric health care professionals and third-party payers should be educated regarding the relevance of psychiatric services within children's hospitals and in physically ill children.