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Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

arstechnica.com

21–30 of 89 posts

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#21
post #20

I'm a psychiatrist, and there are a few things to consider about this story: 1. The bulk of people in a psychiatric hospital are there voluntarily. They can walk out the door at any time. 2. When a patient is in a hospital involuntarily, their stay is subject to state laws about involuntary hospitalization. This, as far as I know, universally requires 2 independent professional opinions that a patient is actively sui…

Correction: psychiatric stays are generally very short with private insurance, and months long with state insurance. May vary with the level of corruption in your area.

I don't know of anywhere that has average stays anywhere near a month. Please provide a citation.

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#22
post #3

A great example of how for-profit healthcare (or anything else) can fail. Corporate entities have an obligation to do whatever they can legally get away with in order to maximize profits. They do not have a prerogative to benefit society, or help human beings apart from what they choose to do. Every country has to decide whether the benefits of privatisation of the various services outweighs the societal costs caused…

And if you want to see examples of how government run healthcare (or anything else) can fail, just look at the history of atrocities of public psychiatric hospitals.

Or visit emergency in most any Canadian hospital.

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#23

Looking forward to charges of fraud and, where applicable, imprisonment under false pretenses[1], resulting in stiff prison sentences for those responsible. [1]: The notion that psychiatric hospitals should be able to keep people there against their will is extremely suspect. A possible exception is a patient being convicted in court of an actual crime, and sent there instead of to prison by the legal system. Even th…

> The notion that psychiatric hospitals should be able to keep people there against their will is extremely suspect

It is necessary to some extent because of the impact that mental and psychiatric conditions have on the will itself. But some patient-appointed external agent with formal qualifications and the power to balance decisions, even if imperfect, would go a long ways.

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#24
post #23

Looking forward to charges of fraud and, where applicable, imprisonment under false pretenses[1], resulting in stiff prison sentences for those responsible. [1]: The notion that psychiatric hospitals should be able to keep people there against their will is extremely suspect. A possible exception is a patient being convicted in court of an actual crime, and sent there instead of to prison by the legal system. Even th…

> The notion that psychiatric hospitals should be able to keep people there against their will is extremely suspect It is necessary to some extent because of the impact that mental and psychiatric conditions have on the will itself. But some patient-appointed external agent with formal qualifications and the power to balance decisions, even if imperfect, would go a long ways.

Necessary or not, no institution should have the power to imprison without all the safeguards of a criminal trial.

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#25
post #3

A great example of how for-profit healthcare (or anything else) can fail. Corporate entities have an obligation to do whatever they can legally get away with in order to maximize profits. They do not have a prerogative to benefit society, or help human beings apart from what they choose to do. Every country has to decide whether the benefits of privatisation of the various services outweighs the societal costs caused…

>Corporate entities have an obligation to do whatever they can legally get away with in order to maximize profits...

I love how people generally agree upon this, but when it comes to specific topics, they seem to have a blind spot for this. For ex. Vaccines and how people seem to blindly believe what ever the authority tells them...

I mean. Look at this thread.

https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/6c5k10/italy_mak...

I don't really expect the crowd here to be much better...but anyways...

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#26
Two items, this is nothing new, although it is good to see it getting news and federal attention. 20 years ago, as a minor, I was subjected to delayed releases as well as odd provocations from the care workers. In the end it took a parent rebelling and pulling me out against medical advice.

Secondly, go fuck yourself, don't try to cover up involuntary restraint and criminal behavior.

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#27

This is one of my greatest fears: that I'll be labelled as insane, then taken away and locked up against my will, and when I try to plead sanity, nobody will believe me. Because they "know" I'm insane.

A favorite movie of mine on this subject is Lunacy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunacy_(film)

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#28

Two items, this is nothing new, although it is good to see it getting news and federal attention. 20 years ago, as a minor, I was subjected to delayed releases as well as odd provocations from the care workers. In the end it took a parent rebelling and pulling me out against medical advice. Secondly, go fuck yourself, don't try to cover up involuntary restraint and criminal behavior.

I'm not trying to cover up anything. Abuses happen, and they should not be tolerated.

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#29

Two items, this is nothing new, although it is good to see it getting news and federal attention. 20 years ago, as a minor, I was subjected to delayed releases as well as odd provocations from the care workers. In the end it took a parent rebelling and pulling me out against medical advice. Secondly, go fuck yourself, don't try to cover up involuntary restraint and criminal behavior.

[deleted]

Re: Feds probing psychiatric hospitals for locking in patients to boost profits

#30

I'm a psychiatrist, and there are a few things to consider about this story: 1. The bulk of people in a psychiatric hospital are there voluntarily. They can walk out the door at any time. 2. When a patient is in a hospital involuntarily, their stay is subject to state laws about involuntary hospitalization. This, as far as I know, universally requires 2 independent professional opinions that a patient is actively sui…

> most family members of a person with a severe illness will tell you that they struggle to get their loved ones admitted even when the situation gets dire

In South-Africa you have to beg private hospitals to admit patients with certain psychiatric conditions. The default is to send patients to public hospitals, and that will likely involve much more restraint and much less care.

My respect goes out to people that keep on trying to deal with these situations with limited resources.

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