Comparing clinic and private practice of psychiatry

Abstract

The author compared data on 2,020 cases treated by private psychiatrists with those on 2,052 cases treated by clinic psychiatrists in California. He also compared data on private treatment in California with those from a national survey of private psychiatrists. Private psychiatrists in California treated as many psychotic patients and used relatively brief psychotherapy about as often as clinic psychiatrists and were more likely to use hospitalization and to see patients individually. In comparison with the national sample, private psychiatrists in California treated more children and patients with situational disturbances and were more likely to receive payment from government sources.