The part played by physicians in the patient's path to the mental hospital.

The important role played by nonpsychiatric physicians as "gatekeepers" in the pathway to the mental hospital is shown in this survey of 52 first admissions to Maryland state mental hospitals. Physicians were consulted more than all other community resources combined in the initial step taken toward professional help. The extensive use of physicians appears to be a result of their perceived expertness, accessibility, and appropriateness as sources of limited treatment and referral to more specialized facilities. People seeking help from doctors held realistic expectations and evaluations of what the doctor could and did offer.