Detection of physical disorder in newly admitted psychiatric patients

Screening tests for the detection of physical illness in 650 newly admitted psychiatric patients were examined critically. Almost 17% of these investigations were found to be abnormal and certain high risk groups were identified. These included patients suffering from significant weight loss, substance abuse, disorientation and self-neglect in addition to the elderly and patients with clinical evidence of physical disorder on examination. The young and physically fit had the least number of abnormalities, and it is suggested that more clinical common sense should determine the screening procedure and that no test is rightly "routine".