Discharges against medical advice at regional acute care hospitals.

Data from 67 acute care hospitals in the Philadelphia metropolitan area indicate that there were 7,613 discharges against medical advice (AMA) in fiscal year 1987, or 1.20 percent of all discharges that year. Diagnosis-related group (DRG), type of insurance, and sex had independent effects on the rate of AMA discharges. Urban community hospitals had the highest percent of AMA discharges. Previous studies, done in teaching facilities, may have underestimated the rate of AMA discharges.