Interventions in consultation-liaison psychiatry: the development of a schema and a checklist for operationalized interventions.

A literature review and pilot investigations reveal that (ward-) management consultation-liaison (C/L) psychiatry recommendations are infrequent and unsystematically used. Furthermore, the communication with the operational group as defined by Meyer and Mendelson is not sufficiently activated. The major focus of the consultation is the first contact, but follow-up is infrequent. With the exception of biologic recommendations and disposition, chart notes by psychiatric consultants do not sufficiently specify the actions to be taken by the ward staff in a general hospital. A schema for the systematic organization of the intervention was developed. A checklist of operationalized C/L interventions is reported. This combination provides a tool for the systematic use of strategic ward management and discharge recommendations. Its basic structure is currently integrated in MICRO CARES [Hammer et al, SCAMC]. The impact on clinical care, education, and research is described.