title: The benefits of a psychiatric consultation--liaison service in a general hospital.
abstract: In this period of increased governmental regulation and decreased reimbursement for psychiatric services by third-party carriers, a fully staffed and financially stable psychiatric consultation-liaison service in the general hospital may still generate significant benefits for patients, hospital administrators, and psychiatrists: an increased rate of diagnosis of psychiatric and medical disorders, a reduction in the length of stay of medical or surgical patients, a decreased utilization of medical services and the development of innovative consultation-liaison activities. This article summarizes these benefits and outlines training obstacles that must be overcome to increase cooperation between psychiatry and medicine so that these benefits may be realized.
mesh_terms: D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007902:Length of Stay; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010819:Physician's Role; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education; D012017:Referral and Consultation