[Need for and use of a university clinic mental health liaison service]

Little is known about the complex decision-making process involving recognition of psychosocial stress, its diagnosis, and psychotherapeutic intervention within the framework of a psychosomatic consulting and liaison service.

Psychosocial stress was recorded using a psychometric questionnaire for 392 patients on admission to hospital, the estimated need of psychotherapeutic treatment, and the application of a psychosomatic liaison service.

Of the examined patients, 44% presented with at least one mental disorder requiring treatment according to ICD-10 criteria. According to the expert opinions, a need for psychotherapeutic treatment was present in 41%, while 54% were themselves motivated for at least one of the psychotherapeutic treatments offered. Psychotherapy was actually received by 35% of the patients. While mental disorders and emotional distress were significant predictors of the need for treatment as rated by experts, they played no genuine role in determining indication or whether a patient accepts the use of psychotherapy

Psychotherapeutic interventions in the liaison service are not always effective or related to the indication.