FOR-PROFIT VERSUS NONPROFIT FREESTANDING PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT FACILITIES - AN UPDATE

Although several studies have examined the trend toward the decreasing differentiation of non-profit from for-profit general hospitals, few have focused on freestanding psychiatric hospitals. This study updates previous research that used psychiatric hospital data from calendar y ear 1986 with data from 1990. in addition, a preliminary examination o f the influence of market competition on the behavior of non-profit ps ychiatric facilities was conducted. Results confirm a converging trend between for-profit and non-profit facilities that is related, in part , to competition.