Segmenting and accessing the market in consultation-liaison psychiatry

Although the importance of consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatry is increasingly recognized, obstacles to acceptance of the specialty persist in many service delivery settings. These can be countered by identifying specific consumers of C-L services and demonstrating that products of the specialty will meet consumers' needs. Once access to the market is gained, it is important to monitor potential sources of competition in the interest of ensuring continued high quality patient care.