Heller A
Hosp Community Psychiatry. 1980 Jul;31(7):491-3. doi: 10.1176/ps.31.7.491.
In recent years the daily expenditure per patient treated in Ohio's forensic hospital has increased tenfold and now exceeds $100. The figure reflects both a declining patient population and increased fiscal support, in part as the result of a 1974 federal court order mandating major improvements in conditions at the state's only forensic hospital. The author compares population and costs trends in the forensic division with trends in Ohio's mental health and mental retardation divisions and presents cost data obtained in a survey of forensic facilities in other states. He concludes that forensic facilities will tend to become smaller and to serve fewer patients, but services will be costly. Because of legal pressure to provide proper treatment and the possibility of personal damage suits, clinicians may be forced to refuse to practice in such facilities unless they are adequately funded.
近年来，俄亥俄州法医医院每位患者的每日支出增长了九倍，目前已超过100美元。这一数字既反映了患者人数的减少，也反映了财政支持的增加，部分原因是1974年联邦法院下达命令，要求对该州唯一的法医医院的条件进行重大改善。作者将法医部门的人口和成本趋势与俄亥俄州心理健康和智力障碍部门的趋势进行了比较，并展示了在对其他州法医设施的调查中获得的成本数据。他得出结论，法医设施将趋于规模更小、服务的患者更少，但服务成本高昂。由于提供适当治疗的法律压力以及人身伤害诉讼的可能性，临床医生可能会被迫拒绝在这类设施中执业，除非它们有足够的资金。
