Psychiatric consultation: A survey and review of utilization

• Published in: Comprehensive psychiatry Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 236 - 243
• Main Author: Ochitill, Herbert N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.01.1983; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Depression - diagnosis; Female; Health Services Needs and Demand; Hospitals, General; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Referral and Consultation - statistics & numerical data; Techniques and methods; Human; Psychiatric consultation; Inquiry; Use
• ISSN: 0010-440X; 1532-8384
• DOI: 10.1016/0010-440X(83)90074-3

Regardless of what has been written of the need for evaluation of the psychiatric consultation service in the general hospital, there is a dearth of such studies. 1 In a 400-bed university-affiliated general hospital, we have recently increased the staffing and scope of consultation service. In a period of 2 mo, two and one-half staff positions were added. Here was a point at which to take stock of prior performance and future course. One evaluative approach herein involves a survey of recipients of the consultation service, staff physicians of the hospital. We were also interested in the relationship between the findings of such a survey instrument and the actual clinical practice. To that end, we used our service records to explore the following possible associations: Would concurrent use of consultation services by various subgroups within the staff reflect survey support and approval? How would survey respondents' declared profile of reasons to request consultation compare with actual practice?