Book excerpt: With decreases in lengths of hospital stay and increases in alternatives to inpatient treatments, the field of hospital psychiatry has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. As the first comprehensive guide to be published in more than a decade, the Textbook of Hospital Psychiatry is a compilation of the latest trends, issues, and developments in the field. The textbook, written by 70 national experts and clinical specialists, covers a wide range of clinical and administrative topics that are central to today's practice of hospital psychiatry. This is the only textbook on the market today that provides information for psychiatric hospital clinicians and administrators in a single all-inclusive volume. It covers information not generally available in other textbooks and medical journals, touching on a variety of cutting-edge issues, such as safety improvement, use of seclusion and restraint, suicide prevention, and culturally competent psychiatric care. The book's 35 chapters are divided into four parts: Part I, Inpatient Practice -- focuses on specialty psychiatric units (e.g., acute stabilization unit, eating disorders unit, forensic unit, child unit), including the many psychopharmacological and psychosocial treatments used within each. This section also touches on specialized treatment for patients with co-occurring problems, such as substance abuse, developmental disabilities, and legal difficulties. Part II, Special Clinical Issues -- covers clinical issues from the perspective of different populations (consumers, families, suicidal patients). This section also examines the recent trend toward patient-centered care. Part III, The Continuum of Care -- addresses psychiatric services within the community, such as rehabilitation programs, day hospitals, and emergency services. It discusses the importance of understanding hospital-based treatment within the broader perspective of patients' lives. Part IV, Structure and Infrastructure -- focuses on such often-overlooked topics as financing of care, risk management, electronic medical records, and the actual architecture of psychiatric hospitals, as well as the roles of psychiatric hospital administrators, psychiatric nurses, and psychiatrists and psychologists. An invaluable resource for both clinicians and administrators, as well as a comprehensive teaching tool for residents, the Textbook of Hospital Psychiatry is a must-have for all professionals who work in psychiatric settings.