What do physicians want from a psychiatric consultation service?

This study investigated two general questions. First, it attempted to determine what aspects of psychiatric consultation were most valued by different departments in a general hospital. The second question concerned the extent to which physicians with different levels of experience and responsibility differed in the value they placed on the services offered by the consultation psychiatrist. Results indicated that few differences existed between the medical, surgical, or OB/GYN services. Such functions as the evaluation of a patient's mental status and suggestions concerning the management of a patient on the ward were highly valued, while activities where staff members were the primary recipients of the consultants' services were least valued. Results also indicated that the importance attached to the various aspects of psychiatric consultation increased as a direct function of experience, with residents giving the lowest ratings and directors giving the highest ratings. These findings were discussed in terms of the question: Who should be the primary consultee? It was suggested that a variety of consultation-liaison models need to be available for various services and individual physicians.