Informed consent--mandating the consultation

This article illustrates how a mandatory consult procedure identified treatable psychiatric problems. Using a computerized data-based format, 372 (37.4%) patients (the "judgment" group) of 996 psychiatric consultations were identified as referred to assess the patient's capacity to execute a consent form for a medical or surgical procedure. One hundred twenty-nine (35%) of the 372 patients thus referred by hospital mandate were given psychiatric diagnoses (DSM-II) by the consultant and received recommendations for primary psychiatric treatment. The "judgment" group had significantly more organic brain syndrome and psychoses associated with CNS conditions (p less than 0.001), whereas the "nonjudgment" group was diagnosed as exhibiting significantly more neurosis, alcoholism, psychophysiologic disorders, transient situational reactions, and personality disorders (p less than 0.001). Without a required psychiatric consultation sanctioned by administrative hospital mandate, the majority of the "judgment" cases with major psychopathology would not have been identified. The use of the mandated psychiatric consultation in the general hospital is discussed.