Further evolution of a literature database: the international use of a common software structure and methodology for the establishment of national consultation/liaison databases.

Every day there are 6000-7000 papers published in science. Since the C-L psychiatrist may be asked to consult on a patient with any medical illness, and who may be on any medical drug, methods need to be developed to review the recent literature and have an awareness of current findings. At the same time, teachers need to develop a current listing of seminal papers for trainees and practitioners of this subspecialty of psychiatry. Experts chosen because of their writings and acknowledged contributions to their subspecialty interests have sifted through thousands of articles to select the ones they regard as the most important for trainees in C-L psychiatry. In addition, certain countries--Spain, Portugal, Germany, Mexico, Australia and Brazil are developing national databases of C-L literature not only for their own use, but also to bring them to the attention of other parts of the world. This fifth iteration of the C-L literature database has especially targeted the period of 1996-1999--the millennium issue--in order to have easier access to contemporary essential studies on common problems. Part II of this issue describes the seminal cardiac drug-psychotropic drug interactions that the C-L psychiatrist may encounter in the most common medical disease in the United States--coronary heart disease--with advise to the practitioner as to their management. The use of the Internet and institutional Intranets is described.

[Teaching survey for consultation-liaison psychiatry]. / Encuesta de docencia en psiquiatría de enlace.

BACKGROUND: Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry plays a major role in the training and clinical activity during the General Psychiatry Residency. Nevertheless, our national residency program for Psychiatry does not define either goals or distinct activities for the C-L Psychiatry rotation. METHODS: In order to: a) assess its current situation within the official teaching centers in Spain and b) determine the perceived opinion of the residents; a 41 item survey was mailed to 253 third and fourth year residents in Psychiatry to evaluate organizational issues of the C-L services, main aspects of this rotation, perceived quality, level of satisfaction and training needs. RESULTS: At least one resident from 40 out of the 67 accredited training centers answered the survey. The information gathered shown, as it was foreseen, that C-L training within the general psychiatry residency is very heterogeneous; furthermore it was documented some unsatisfaction regarding both the level of supervision and the rotation itself. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies are needed to get a closer look at all these aspects in order to improve the quality of both the rotation in C-L psychiatry and the standards of the C-L service itself. This endeavour shall benefit the training in C-L Psychiatry of the future spanish general psychiatrists.

[Training guidelines for linkage psychiatry]. / Guía docente en psiquiatría de enlace.

This review is aimed to provide some basic criteria intended to be useful as a C-L training guideline. Teaching foundations for C-L Psychiatry are reviewed and the main features of the training schemes in C-L Psychiatry Services or Units are outlined taking in to considerations the four main perspectives such as clinical, teaching, research and management activities. Furthermore, a core curriculum for a teaching is recommended. Teaching principles for C-L Psychiatry should be meditated; due to the absence of national publications in this specific area, this article might give the opportunity to get started in an open debate. In spite of a worldwide promising future for C-L Psychiatry, in Spain there are still few Services or units developed and fewer of those providing a formal teaching program, so an opportunity for a major shift is served.