Review of the pschiatric consultation-liaison service at Helen Joseph Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: To provide a demographic and clinical profile of all patients consulted by the consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP) service, and describe the clinical management of patients referred with a diagnosis of a mental disorder associated with a co-morbid medical condition in a general hospital. Method: A retrospective record review of all patients referred to CLP team over a six-month period. Results: A total of 884 routine and emergency consultations were done for patients referred from the various other clinical departments, comprising of 662 patients (males = 305; females = 357) between the ages of 13 – 90 years. The most common reason for referral documented, was a request for assessment (n=182; 27.5%). Only 63 patients (10%) had a confirmed axis 1 diagnosis with a defined co-morbid medical condition. The medical wards admitted the majority of the patients (n=37; 67.3%), most of which had a diagnosis of delirium (n=28; 51.9%) and also HIV (n = 23; 67.7%). Conclusion: A female patient between the ages of 31 - 45 years with a diagnosis of delirium and also suffering from HIV/AIDS was more likely to be referred to the CLP service for assessment, and more likely to be managed in the medical wards.