Utilization of a consultation liaison psychiatry service in a general hospital

This retrospective study was conducted in response to a need to evaluate the overall utilization rates of the psychiatric consultation liaison service by nonpsychiatric units within Howard University Hospital, which deals almost exclusively with a black, inner-city population. The study covers a three-year period (July 1982 to July 1985). During this time only 815 patients (2 percent) were referred for psychiatric evaluation out of the total number of hospital admissions (40,000 patients).Patient characteristics and general attitudes appear to have had a major role in this low ratio of referrals, particularly a lack of awareness and bias against psychiatry. This latter finding is in disparity with other published reports. Diagnostically, depression, organic mental disorders (acute), and substance abuse (mainly PCP) constituted the greater bulk of the patients seen by the consultation liaison psychiatry service. The review of a random sample of psychiatric inpatients (n = 100) revealed that in 50 percent of the cases there was a coexisting physical illness or abnormality.The role of mental health education and the liaison function needs to be emphasized. It is suggested that efforts should be directed toward a wider acceptance and utilization of consultation liaison psychiatry by primary care physicians in general hospitals. The factors listed by physicians and patients that may account for the observed underutilization of consultation liaison services are discussed. The results of 20 interviews and the reasons given by referring physicians as to whether or not they will seek consultation from the consultation liaison services are also reviewed.