Prolonged hospitalization and diagnostic clarification saves U.S. Air Force $650,000 in unwarranted disability payments.

Over the last few decades in health care a premium has been placed on decreasing the length of stay. Cost containment measures and more effective psychotropic medications have fueled this trend. The new paradigm is "diagnose, stabilize quickly, and discharge to outpatient setting." Although in the short run this model saves money, it is at the cost of an accurate diagnosis; however, in the long run the costs far exceed the initial savings, especially in today's dismal economy. This editorial presents a case report where prolonged psychiatric hospitalization and diagnostic clarification saved the U.S. Air Force $650,000 in unwarranted disability payments.

Snapshot of air force psychiatry: wilford Hall medical center.

In line with Psychiatry 2009's mission to strengthen its global presence as a leading source of evidence-based information for practicing clinicians, we are pleased to launch the new column, "Psychiatric Clinics from Around the World." This series will enable readers to become familiar with facilities around the world that provide psychiatric care. We hope you find the column interesting. We start the series with a column featuring Wilford Hall Medical Center, the flagship psychiatric facility of the United States Air Force.United States Air Force psychiatry plays a vital role in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). Outside of the military, little is known about US Air Force psychiatry and the Wilford Hall Medical Center. Wilford Hall Medical Center is the US Air Force's flagship hospital and premiere psychiatric hospital. This article briefly discusses the history of Wilford Hall Medical Center and its psychiatric contributions to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mania and Psychosis Associated with St. John's Wort and Ginseng.

The use of complimentary/alternative medicine has become popular as evidenced by grocery store aisles and "infomercials" devoted to herbal products. These products are often misconstrued as safe because of their natural origin. With an increase in the consumption of these products, physicians need to be aware of their potential adverse effects. There are several popular over-the-counter herbal products that can affect one's behavior, especially resulting in acute mania and/or psychosis. This article provides an overview of existing literature regarding the increased use of herbal agents, reviews several case reports describing a potential association between herbal products (St. John's Wort and ginseng) and the development of mania and psychosis, and discusses the limitations in determining the frequency of serious adverse effects due to herbal products.