Contracting state mental hospital systems.

R G Frank; W P Welch

doi:10.1215/03616878-6-4-676

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Contracting state mental hospital systems.

R G Frank·W P Welch

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Abstract

The predominant approach to contracting state mental hospital systems has been to close individual hospitals. Such a policy creates conflict between state government and the affected workers and communities. Closing of hospitals has been motivated by an implicit assumption on the part of state policy-makers that there are increasing returns to scale in mental hospitals. The bulk of empirical evidence suggests that returns to scale are constant. Thus, in many cases one may forego the political conflict inherent in closing hospitals by shrinking them with no loss in economic efficiency.

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Bed Occupancy Health Facility Closure Health Facility Size Health Policy Hospital Administration Hospitals, Psychiatric Hospitals, Public Hospitals, State Humans Politics United States Journal Article

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R G Frank, W P Welch. 1982. Contracting state mental hospital systems.. https://doi.org/10.1215/03616878-6-4-676

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