Predictive validity of the ASAM Patient Placement Criteria for hospital utilization.

We tested the validity of the ASAM Patient Placement Criteria (PPC) using the first complete and reliable computerized implementation of these criteria. Adult U.S.

Relationship between climate and psychiatric inpatient length of stay in Veterans Health Administration hospitals.

Objective: The study examined whether climate has an impact on inpatient psychiatric length of stay in Veterans Health Administration hospitals (VHA).

Method: Data from the National Weather Service for eight climate variables for the locations of 134 VHA hospitals nationwide were factor analyzed, resulting in two climate factors representing temperature and precipitation. Factor scores were correlated with psychiatric mean lengths of stay from 1994 to 1998 for 99 VHA hospitals with inpatient psychiatric services and for the 22 VHA regional divisions (Veterans Integrated Service Networks).

Quality plan for a product line.

Continuous Quality improvement (CQI) has undergone radical change as health care facilities merge, expand, and modify their existing services. CQI has shifted from a centralized position in health care organizations, to unit based, to product lines. This paper describes one product line's endeavors to develop a Quality Plan to direct CQI activities.