| Abstract: | Robert W. Gibson MD, is interviewed concerning the potential impact of restricted funding for mental health services in the 1980s, particularly as this applies to the practice of occupational therapy. Topics covered include the decreasing length of inpatient hospitalization; the possibility of a shifting emphasis lo the treatmcnt of the severely and chronically ill; increasing utilization of rehabilitative services; and suggestions to facilitate greater interprofessional collaboration. Thc establishment of measurable outcomes for continued or improved reimbursement of occupational therapy services is stressed, and the potential for multiprofession group practices as a cost-effective approach to reduced business and industry health care costs is suggested. |
