Why don't ED psychiatrists just admit every single patient?

[B52slinger]

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Obviously this is not optimal care for the patient nor is it a good use of inpatient psych beds, but I've been reading several ED psych lawsuit cases recently and it seems that lawsuits appear to occur exclusively when the patient is NOT admitted rather than frivolously admitted.

From a liability standpoint, how are there not more ED psychiatrists who just admit 100% of all comers? I'm not saying this is good care or good for the patients but just wondering why there aren't more ED psychiatrists doing this cover-your-ass style of practice...

 

[Merovinge]

Because the staff will riot if you do this. Incidentally the tele-ED psych services I have heard being contracted seem to admit at much higher rates.