A survey of hospital practices related to pelvic and rectal examinations of psychiatric inpatients

Fifty-three inpatient units in Texas and Massachusetts-15 freestanding psyc hiatric hospitals and 38 units of general hospitals-responded to a survey t o determine current practice in conducting pelvic and rectal examinations o f psychiatric patients. Pelvic examinations were never done at 15 of the fa cilities (28 percent), and rectal examinations were never done at 12 (23 pe rcent). The other facilities did these examinations selectively based on pa tients' clinical history, Because selective use of these examinations is co nsistent with recommendations of the American Psychiatric Association and b ecause hospitals that conduct examination selectively have received approva l by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, it appears that selective rather than routine pelvic and rectal examinations a re now considered reasonable practice.