Broader indications for psychiatric consultation.

A liaison approach to psychiatric consultation increases the patient population who can benefit from psychiatric assessment during hospitalization for medical or surgical conditions. It also broadens the scope of the psychiatric investigation of the individual patient. The meaning of the illness to the patient, and the patient's present methods of adapting to his or her illness are important considerations. Unconscious concerns, which interfere with the patient's compliance to medical treatment, may be sufficiently clarified and resolved so that medical progress is expedited. Psychiatric consultation can be used to prevent an untoward psychological reaction to illness, if this is foreseen. This preventive consultation, which is often possible only because of the family physician's awareness of the psychological vulnerability of some of her or his patients, can result in reduced medical and psychiatric morbidity.