The benefits of a psychiatric consultation--liaison service in a general hospital.

ABSTRACT

In this period of increased governmental regulation and decreased reimbursement for psychiatric services by third-party carriers, a fully staffed and financially stable psychiatric consultation-liaison service in the general hospital may still generate significant benefits for patients, hospital administrators, and psychiatrists an increased rate of diagnosis of psychiatric and medical disorders, a reduction in the length of stay of medical or surgical patients, a decreased utilization of medical services and the development of innovative consultation-liaison activities. This article summarizes these benefits and outlines training obstacles that must be overcome to increase cooperation between psychiatry and medicine so that these benefits may be realized.