The Profitable Business of Holding Patients Against Their Will
Sep 26, 2024
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In this engaging discussion, investigative reporter Jessica Silver-Greenberg exposes alarming abuses within the mental health care system, focusing on the for-profit Acadia Healthcare. She reveals how profit motives can overshadow patient welfare, featuring Kathy McKenzie, who shares her personal experience with involuntary commitment. They delve into the manipulative tactics used to extend hospital stays and the emotional toll on patients. The episode sheds light on urgent ethical concerns while calling for a reevaluation of mental health practices.
Acadia Healthcare prioritizes profits over patient needs, manipulating commitments and insurance payouts while compromising care quality.
Kathy McKenzie's traumatic experience exemplifies the systemic issues within the psychiatric hospital chain, exposing the vulnerability of patients seeking help.
Deep dives
The Rise of Acadia Healthcare
Acadia Healthcare, established in 2005, has grown to become one of America’s largest chains of psychiatric hospitals, capitalizing on a shift in the mental health care landscape. As traditional nonprofit systems have pulled back, Acadia has stepped in to meet the increasing demand for mental health services, particularly following the introduction of mandated mental health coverage under Obamacare. This strategic timing has allowed Acadia to expand rapidly, resulting in a valuation of $7 billion and presence in 19 states. Their corporate growth has positioned them to play a crucial role in the mental health sector, but this success raises questions about the quality and ethical implications of care provided.
Patient Experiences of Involuntary Commitment
The podcast shares the harrowing experience of Kathy McKenzie, a school social worker who was involuntarily committed to an Acadia facility after seeking help for her bipolar disorder. Despite expressing that she was not suicidal, she was subjected to a psychiatric evaluation that ultimately led to her being held against her will for several days. This situation highlights the chilling reality many patients face; they can be institutionalized without proper justification, often losing their autonomy in the process. Kathy’s account exemplifies the broader nightmare scenario where individuals seeking help instead find themselves trapped in a system that prioritizes profit over patient care.
Profit Over Patient Care
Investigative reporting unveils that Acadia Healthcare often prioritizes profit over the needs of its patients, employing various strategies to maximize insurance payouts. The company utilizes aggressive marketing tactics to attract patients and cultivates relationships with emergency responders to funnel individuals into their facilities. Once patients are admitted, Acadia employs tactics to extend stays, such as exaggerating symptoms or taking advantage of patients' misunderstanding of involuntary commitment laws. Such actions not only compromise the integrity of patient care but reveal a troubling trend in the commodification of mental health services.
Consequences and Ongoing Concerns
Following her release, Kathy grapples with a significant emotional toll, including PTSD, as she comes to terms with the trauma of her experience. Her story resonates with numerous individuals who have faced similar situations within Acadia’s system, indicating a widespread and systemic issue. Despite documented complaints, responses from regulatory agencies have been minimal, leaving many vulnerable patients exposed to the same risks. This raises urgent questions about accountability in private mental health care and highlights the critical need for advocacy and protective measures for patients in crisis.
Warning: This episode contains descriptions of captivity, mental-health trauma and suicidal thoughts.
A Times investigation into a leading chain of psychiatric hospitals in the United States reveals a world where profits trump medical needs, and patients are detained against their will.
Jessica Silver-Greenberg, an investigative reporter for the Business section of The New York Times, tells the story of one woman who was trapped inside.
Guest: Jessica Silver-Greenberg, an investigative reporter for the Business section of The New York Times.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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