Background: Changes in health care delivery financing such as the adoption
of the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) in 1983 has affected inpatient servic
es of dermatology programs across the United States.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to define the present status of in
patient dermatology at academic medical centers compared with 1982.
Methods: Questionnaires inquiring about the state of inpatient service were
sent to the chairpersons of each dermatology residency program in the Unit
ed States.
Results: Of the 71 programs responding, 79% reported a reduction in inpatie
nt activity. Nearly half of the dermatology programs with dedicated dermato
logy beds in 1982 reported not continuing to have these in 1997 (41 to 24).
The average number of patients admitted for skin disease decreased from 11
9 in 1982 to 36.5 in 1997, and the average daily census decreased from 8.9
to 2.2.
Conclusion: There has been a decline in the number of patients hospitalized
by academic dermatology departments and a shift of some patients hospitali
zed to beds where the attending is other than a dermatologist.