A controlled evaluation of a JCAH regulation.

Medical services are under increasing cost/benefit scrutiny; at the same time, regulatory agencies are increasingly involved in requiring specific formats for treatment. A 1982 report of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH), requiring more structure for multidisciplinary Treatment Planning Conferences (TPCs), provided an opportunity for a prospective study comparing the benefits of the "old" (N = 92) vs. the "new" (n = 91) TPCs. Ratings, obtained from patients, psychiatrists, and other staff, included ratings of helpfulness of the TPC and of coordination of treatment. Results indicated superior benefit from the new TPCs on staff ratings, but not on patient ratings. The cost/benefit ratio for the new TPCs, given the need for increased staff time, is discussed. While not definitive, this study suggests that regulatory agency requirements, when feasible, should be subjected to study and to cost/benefit analysis, prior to widespread implementation.