A. Diefenbacher, Implementation of a psychiatric consultation service - A single-site observational study over a 1-year-period, PSYCHOSOMAT, 42(5), 2001, pp. 404-410
This study describes changes in consultation process variables and referral
patterns after implementation of a psychiatric consultation service at a u
niversity hospital in Germany. Two hundred eighty consecutive medical-surgi
cal inpatient referrals for psychiatric consultation during a I year period
were documented prospectively with a structured database. Changes took pla
ce in referral patterns and in psychiatric interventions and recommendation
s but not in psychiatric diagnoses. In addition, information is given on ps
ychiatric and psychosomatic consultation service delivery in Germany.