title: Implementation of a psychiatric consultation service: a single-site observational study over a 1-year-period.
abstract: This study describes changes in consultation process variables and referral patterns after implementation of a psychiatric consultation service at a university hospital in Germany. Two hundred eighty consecutive medical-surgical inpatient referrals for psychiatric consultation during a 1-year period were documented prospectively with a structured database. Changes took place in referral patterns and in psychiatric interventions and recommendations but not in psychiatric diagnoses. In addition, information is given on psychiatric and psychosomatic consultation service delivery in Germany.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Ev. Krankenhaus Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Berlin, Germany. a.diefenbacher@keh-Berlin.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diefenbacher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data