The Psychiatric Institute of Washington (PIW) is an acute (104 bed)
psychiatric hospital
A psychiatric hospital, also known as a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or an asylum is a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe Mental disorder, mental disorders. These institutions cater t ...
in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
Opened in 1967, PIW is a short-term, private hospital. It offers
behavioral
Behavior (American English) or behaviour (British English) is the range of actions of individuals, organisms, systems or artificial entities in some environment. These systems can include other systems or organisms as well as the inanimate p ...
healthcare to patients with
mental
Mental may refer to:
* of or relating to the mind
Films
* ''Mental'' (2012 film), an Australian comedy-drama film starring Toni Collette
* ''Mental'' (2016 film), a Bangladeshi romantic-action film starring Shakib Khan
* ''Mental'', a 2008 docu ...
and
addictive illnesses, including children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. Services offered by PIW include inpatient, partial and intensive outpatient hospitalization, and group treatment programs for substance abuse and addiction.
As reported by
US News
''U.S. News & World Report'' (''USNWR'', ''US NEWS'') is an American media company publishing news, consumer advice, rankings, and analysis. The company was launched in 1948 as the merger of domestic-focused weekly newspaper ''U.S. News'' and ...
, the Psychiatric Institute of Washington had 2,641 admissions and 1,766 outpatient visits in 2011. The hospital employed five physicians and dentists, twenty-two registered nurses, and ten practical nurses on its full-time medical staff. The hospital's part-time medical staff in 2011 included forty registered nurses and six practical nurses. PIW does not have a surgical unit or offer
emergency department
An emergency department (ED), also known as an accident and emergency department (A&E), emergency room (ER), emergency ward (EW) or casualty department, is a medical treatment facility specializing in emergency medicine, the Acute (medicine), ...
services.
Inpatient services
PIW is primarily an
inpatient
A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other heal ...
center. Patients admitted into the hospital undergo a standard number of evaluations and staff assignments before being placed on a coed unit. This includes an assessment from the Nursing staff upon first arrival, a
psychiatric evaluation
Psychological evaluation is a method to assess an individual's behavior, personality, cognitive abilities, and several other domains. A common reason for a psychological evaluation is to identify psychological factors that may be inhibiting ''a p ...
, and a complete history and physical exam.
Patients are assigned a social worker as well as a "treatment team" consisting of the social worker, physician, and nurse. In order to give patients a sense of normalcy, every patient receives a complete program schedule for the unit they are placed on and an orientation to the unit's group therapy model.
The Psychiatric Institute of Washington offers six inpatient programs: Adult Psychiatric Services – Detox & Psych units, Child Services, Adolescent Services, The center, and The School. Each of these programs target specific age and mental health need. As evident from the units' names, PIW serves not only adults seeking mental health support, it also has the capacity to treat younger populations in distress.
Outpatient services
Despite a general focus on inpatient care, PIW does offer two outpatient programs to patients who do not qualify for in-hospital care. The Day Center serves patients with daily
anxieties
Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response to a present threat, where ...
while The Urgent Care Center, a newly established program in partnership with the Department of Mental Health and D.C. Superior Court provides immediate mental health assessments and treatment to defendants with mental health needs, as identified by judges, attorneys, and Pre-Trial Services Agency staff.
Both programs are group therapy focused.
Notes
External links
Psychiatric Institute of WashingtonUS News Profile
{{Authority control
Psychiatric hospitals in Washington, D.C.
Hospital buildings completed in 1967
Hospitals established in 1967
1967 establishments in Washington, D.C.