title: Psychiatric indications for admission to an inpatient palliative care unit.
abstract: As inpatient palliative care units (IPCUs) have become more widespread, experience grows regarding the patients for whom they are best suited. We report here on the use of an IPCU in the treatment of several individuals with comorbid psychiatric and advanced life-threatening illness during a 1-year period. At least four categories of such patients-those with suicide risk, dangerous noncompliance, anxiety with substance dependence and diagnostic dilemmas-may benefit uniquely from the individualized, whole person, interdisciplinary approach of an IPCU. Effective referral and comanagement of these patients requires both close collaboration between psychiatric and palliative care clinicians, and awareness of the advantages and limitations of alternatives such as inpatient medical and psychiatric units.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. jpeteet@partners.org
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Peteet
authors.forename: Fremonta
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: deLima Thomas
authors.forename: Halyna L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Vitagliano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000592:standards*; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies