[On the importance of the geographical position of psychiatric hospitals for the admission rates and hospitalization period (author's transl)].

Rates of admission, duration of hospitalization, chances of discharge and legal basis of admissions are analyzed with reference to the distances between the patients' domiciles and the hospital, basing on the figures which apply to the district hospitals Gabersee in Upper Bavaria. More patients from nearby are admitted, and also given long-term treatment, than from the more distant zones; in the long run, chances of discharge are not more favorable for patients living nearby; there is no variation regarding the share of voluntary admissions in relation to the distances between the respective domiciles and the hospital. These results show that there must be increased cooperation between hospitals or wards for inpatients, partial inpatients, and outpatients, in view of the expected increased hospitalization frequency in future psychiatric practice located in the immediate vicinity of the individual districts. Under no circumstances should it happen that instead of the expected saving in the number of hospital beds, the overall capacity of the hospitals is increased.