Strategies for operational efficiency in a general hospital public inpatient unit.

Operational strategies for maximizing efficient utilization of beds were carried out in a 12-bed psychiatric inpatient unit for public patients in a general hospital. Developed through a public-academic collaboration, the unit is part of a community-based system of care. The average length of stay is ten days. Medical staff are university faculty and residents. Treatment focuses on resolution of the symptoms or behavior that led to the patient's hospitalization and includes rapid stabilization using crisis management and somatic therapies and rapid mobilization of aftercare resources. Other strategies for promoting efficient provision of services include clearly defined staff roles and a structured format for discussing clinical information.