2014 Volume 26 Issue 4 Pages 362-367
Many patients with mental health concerns do not engage with consultation-liaison psychiatric services. Most of these are patients with chronic physical diseases treated in small- or medium-sized hospitals or in medical or surgical clinics, where there are no psychiatrists. In order to improve the availability of mental health support to these patients, it is essential that liaison psychiatrists of core hospitals provide an outreach service that helps non-psychiatric doctors and co-medical staff to improve their ability in mental care and treatment. Various plans can be proposed; one of the most effective is the application of "collaborative care" to "community-based liaison services."
