The financial impact of the rising number of pediatric mental
health hospitalizations is unknown. Therefore, this study
assessed costs, reimbursements, and net profits or losses
for 111,705 mental health and non–mental health medical
hospitalizations in children’s hospitals with use of the Pediatric
Health Information System and Revenue Management
Program. Average financial margins were calculated as
(reimbursement per day) – (cost per day), and they were
lowest for mental health hospitalizations ($136/day), next
lowest for suicide attempt ($518/day), and highest for other
medical hospitalizations ($611/day). For 10 of 17 hospitals,
margin per day for mental health hospitalizations was lower
than margin per day for other medical hospitalizations.
For these 10 hospitals, the total net loss for inpatient and
observation status mental health hospitalizations, compared
with other medical hospitalizations, was $27 million (median,
$2.2 million per hospital). Financial margins were usually
lower for mental health vs non–mental health medical
hospitalizations. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2020;15:727-
730. © 2020 Society of Hospital Medicine
25.2 EARLY IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 SHIFT TO REMOTE LEARNING ON ACUTE CHILD MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN US CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS
