Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146:898-901
Copyright © 1989 by American Psychiatric Association
Effect of a psychiatric liaison program on consultation rates and on detection of minor psychiatric disorders in cancer patients
CF McCartney, P Cahill, DB Larson, JS Lyons, CY Wada and HA Pincus
Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27599.
Because only 2% of the 47% of cancer patients with psychiatric disorders
receive psychiatric consultations, the authors investigated the impact of a
psychiatric liaison program on improving consultation rates on a
gynecologic oncology unit. Consultation rates for gynecologic cancer
patients before and after introduction of the program were compared to
rates from other cancer patients in the same hospital during the same
7-year period. Rates for the gynecologic patients were higher after the
program (9%) than before (4%), as were rates for follow-up consultations,
and the detection of minor DSM-III disorders improved. The authors conclude
that liaison improves access to psychiatric treatments that often enhance
the quality of life for seriously ill patients.
