[Quality criteria for psychosomatic consultation-liaison service].
Besides the integrated psychosomatic models in various medical specialities (e.g. Internal medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology or Paediatrics), specific models of cooperation in the form of consultation-liaison (C-L) service between specialised psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic departments and other medical departments play a crucial role in providing psychosomatic care to patients. The concept 'liaison' expresses a particularly close form of cooperative activity, going far beyond the classical model of consultation services. In this context, the psychosomatic consultant has not only a fixed organised presence in the provision of patient care, he/she also participates in case discussions, hospital rounds, ward discussions and continuing education programmes of the 'partner' department. Thus, the liaison service is not only patient-centred, but also team-centred. Such consultation-liaison services, in Austria, were first established at the University Hospitals. As a consequence of laws regulating psychotherapeutic care, according to which such care is to be offered in general hospitals, increasingly C-L services are becoming part of regular care provision in more and more hospitals. Consensus groups, international as well as in German-speaking countries, are currently working on establishing quality standards in the area of psychosomatic C-L services. A working group of the scientific medical representatives has recently published guidelines for the structure, process and results of quality control. A second group, of the European Association of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, is currently working on guidelines for training consultation-liaison service providers. In the present article, an overview of these projects will be presented and the results discussed against the background of the specific health policy situation in Austria.
Söllner
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Klinik für Psychosomatik und Psychotherapeutische Medizin, Klinikum Nürnberg, Prof. Ernst-Nathan-Strasse 1, D-90419 Nürnberg, Deutschland. wolfgang.soellner@klinikum-nuernberg.de
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Stein
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Franz
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Lampe
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A
Herzog
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D001317:Austria; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation