Inpatient Psychiatric Unit Availability Within US Short-Term, Acute-Care Hospitals, 2011-2023

Zoe Lindenfeld, Colleen M. McCullough, Ji Eun Chang, Jonathan H. Cantor, Ryan K. McBain

ResearchPosted on rand.org Jul 2, 2025Published in: JAMA Network Open, Volume 8, No. 6, e2518881 (June 2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.18881

The COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions to behavioral health care delivery, despite increased demand for behavioral health services. This involved closing inpatient psychiatric units (IPUs), hospital-based units that provide psychiatric services to patients with mental illness, or repurposing them to increase medical capacity. This study examines the availability of IPUs in short-term, acute-care hospitals from 2011 to 2023. We quantify changes in IPUs over time and measure the association of the COVID-19 pandemic with the number of IPUs.

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Document Details

  • Copyright: Zoe Lindenfeld, Colleen M. McCullough, Ji Eun Chang, Jonathan H. Cantor, Ryan K. McBain ; Open Access
  • Publisher: JAMA Network
  • Availability: Non-RAND
  • Year: 2025
  • Pages: 3
  • Document Number: EP-70969

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