Advantages of Psychosomatic Medicine (CLP) Service
- Relieve symptoms of distress & improve the quality of life of some patients with serious diseases.
- Improve the course and prognosis of several major medical illnesses.
- Cost-effective:
- A. Reduce the length of hospital stay.
- B. Reduce the number of unnecessary investigations (performed for physical symptoms that may actually reflect underlying psychological distress).
Approach to Referral to Inpatient Psychosomatic Medicine Service
How to Do It (Effective Psych. Consultation)
- Review patient charts, asking nurses and physician.
- Obtain good psychiatric history (paying attention to psychological & social factors).
- MSE & MMSE/MOCA if cognitive problem is suspected and possibly neuropsychological assessment.
- Making logical differential diagnosis among medical, neurological and psychiatric diseases.
- Investigate based on that.
- Make treatment plan.
- Follow up plan (as inpatient & outpatient).
- Collaborate with both the patient/family and the referring team. The L part of the CLP!