The Psychiatric Consult

This book guides psychiatry trainees through some of the most common psychiatric consultation requests in the general medical hospital, using accessible, case-based narratives. Clinical case scenarios are used to demonstrate how to consider both medical and psychological factors involved in the consultation, and the approach to challenging interpersonal dynamics that may occur between the hospitalized patient and the primary medical team. Each case illustrates how to begin to think like a consultation-liaison psychiatrist in order to arrive at a diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan in complex clinical situations. Cases unfold in real time to highlight the critical role of the psychiatrist as liaison to the patient and medical team in order to guide psychiatric management and facilitate effective communication and treatment in the hospital. In addition to clinical cases, each chapter features a concise list of strategies to identify and address patient symptoms and behaviors, interpersonal dynamics, and barriers to care that arise in the hospital. The Psychiatric Consult features resident-specific recommendations and a case-based format that make it a unique, realistic, and engaging learning tool.