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Handbook of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry pp 39–62Cite as

Psychiatric Consultation in the Emergency Setting

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Abstract

Consultants may be called to an emergency department for a variety of reasons. Most requests are like those from a general hospital ward. However, two issues are notable: a broader definition of psychiatric emergencies and greater concern about patient rights. These issues stem from an emergency department’s lack of a buffer from its surrounding community: patients come as they are, whether pushed, or just so inclined, whether in crisis, or just avoiding clinic appointment delays. There is little or no time for patients and emergency department staff to come to any understanding. In this absence of a traditional physician–patient relationship, consultants may be forced to change their usual approach.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale University, 20 York St, Rm Fitkin 615, New Haven, CT, 06220-3220, USA

    Seth Powsner MD (Professor of Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine)

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  1. Seth Powsner MD
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Correspondence to Seth Powsner MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, Fresno Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, California, USA

    Hoyle Leigh

  2. University of Hawaii at Manoa Department of Psychiatry, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    Jon Streltzer

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© 2015 Hoyle Leigh & Jon Streltzer

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Powsner, S. (2015). Psychiatric Consultation in the Emergency Setting. In: Leigh, H., Streltzer, J. (eds) Handbook of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11005-9_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11005-9_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-11004-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-11005-9

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