The present situation and problems of the ward for emergency psychiatry and physical complications in Yokohama City Minato Red Cross Hospital

Abstract

There is a great need for general hospitals to manage psychiatry emergencies and physical complications in psychiatric patients. However, the number of psychiatric wards at general hospitals has been decreasing. Under these circumstances, Yokohama City has promoted “the core hospital design”, in which psychiatric wards were established in general hospitals. Yokohama City Minato Red Cross hospital was opened as one of the core hospitals in Yokohama, and has engaged in treating psychiatry emergencies and physical complications in psychiatric patients. We can only manage the physical complications of psychiatric patients by close collaboration with general medical services and the application of nurses in psychiatric wards. A new medical service fee system was established in 2008. Although it has made some progress, it still does not properly reflect the staff assignment standard. The administration organization needs to further evaluate the psychiatry departments of general hospitals in order to guarantee an adequate number of psychiatric staff, and to promote a society in which citizens can live a safe public life, with or without mental disorders.