Project Lead: Dr. Maria Mariano

Several Psychiatry department members were involved in this committee with the goal of discussing how the changes in hospitalist access to psychiatric wards may affect our patient care. A meeting was held to discuss medical stability and review current clinical policy and forms for patients being admitted to psychiatric wards. The current protocol on any acute and subacute medical issues arising for patients already admitted in the psychiatric wards was further clarified and limitations identified.

A summary of the meeting was drafted and feedback collected from committee members as well as other psychiatry colleagues. At the next department meeting, the current policy/protocol regarding any acute medical issues arising in the psychiatric ward was clarified. For patient cases that are not addressed by the current protocol, the committee recommended a case-by-case review by the Department Head to ensure the patients would receive the appropriate medical care. The hope is that after some data on these cases has been gathered, there can be advocacy for a system that will address the current policy limitations.