Evaluation of consultation-liaison psychiatry referrals from a critical care unit of an outer suburban hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the nature of psychiatric morbidity in patients admitted to a critical care unit of a general hospital and referred to a consultation-liaison psychiatry service.


METHODS
Analysis of clinical records on all patients admitted to a critical care unit and referred to consultation-liaison between 2010 to end of 2011. Descriptive statistics only are reported.


RESULTS
The referrals represented all age groups. Of those referred, 63.9% had a pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis and 64.7% had been admitted for intentional or accidental overdose.


CONCLUSIONS
Those identified to have a pre-existing mental illness and who had engaged in treatment were found to be inadequately supervised. They require more extended care and monitoring for suicidality and co-morbid physical conditions.
Consultant Psychiatrist, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Maroondah Hospital, Eastern Health, Ringwood East, VIC, and; Adjunct Lecturer, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia dhayanthid@yahoo.com.
Dhayanthi
D
Devasagayam
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
David
D
Clarke
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
consultation–liaison psychiatry; critical care unit