Am J Psychiatry 1975; 132:1018-1022
Copyright © 1975 by American Psychiatric Association
The lithium clinic: a new model for the delivery of psychiatric services
RR Fieve
Advances in the diagnosis of recurrent affective disorders and consistently
high levels of lithium prophylaxis have made it possible to treat
manic-depressive disorders on an outpatient basis. The author describes the
experiences and organization of a lithium clinic that has operated for 15
years. Utilizing the services of trained paramedicals and a small medical
staff, the clinic has efficiently served a large patient population. The
author suggests that centers using this model could serve the community by
increasing the availability of specialized psychiatric care.
