Although the relative merits of inpatient versus outpatient treatment continue to be examined (Long et al. 1998), most observers seem to have accepted the conclusions of Finney and colleagues (1996) that outpatient treatment should be encouraged for most patients, but access to inpatient treatment should be retained for those patients who need it. The focus of cost-effectiveness research has accordingly shifted from the issue of inpatient versus outpatient care toward consideration of other treatment program dimensions, such as shorter versus longer periods of treatment.
