Psychiatric referral pattern in general hospital.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Hospital Administration
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Understanding psychiatric referral patterns is crucial for optimizing patient care in general hospitals.
• Referrals from non-psychiatrists significantly impact the accessibility and integration of psychiatric services.
• Previous studies highlight variations in referral practices across different medical disciplines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the referral patterns of psychiatric cases within a general hospital setting.
• To identify the proportion of referred cases in the psychiatry outpatient department (OPD).
• To examine demographic, disciplinary, and diagnostic characteristics of referred psychiatric patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of new cases presenting to the psychiatry OPD over a one-year period.
• Data collection included referral source, patient demographics, and primary diagnosis.
• Categorization of referring physicians by medical specialty (e.g., physicians, surgeons, gynaecologists).

Main Results:

• 20.20% of new psychiatry OPD cases were identified as referrals.
• The majority of referred patients were seen at the OPD level.
• Male patients constituted a higher proportion of referred cases compared to females.
• Physicians were the largest referring group, followed by surgeons and gynaecologists.
• Neurosis was the most frequent diagnosis among referred patients.

Conclusions:

• Referral patterns indicate a significant contribution of non-psychiatrists to psychiatric caseloads in general hospitals.
• The high rate of referrals, particularly for neurosis, suggests a need for enhanced psychiatric consultation and collaboration.
• A perceived 'lack of referrals' by non-psychiatrists may hinder the growth and integration of psychiatric services within the broader healthcare system.