General psychiatric approach

(Redirected from General Psych Workup)

Background

  • Be wary of diagnostic overshadowing (e.g. erroneously attributing symptoms of medical illness to psychiatric disease)
    • Compared to overall population, patients with mental illness have significantly higher rates of stroke[1], CAD[2], DM[3], cancer[4], HIV, HCV[5]

Clinical Features

Mental Status Exam

  • General Appearance
  • Orientation and Attention
  • Speech
  • Mood and affect
  • Thought Patterns (process, content)
  • Psychomotor behavior
  • Insight and Judgement

Differential Diagnosis

General Psychiatric

Evaluation

  • Rule out medical pathology as cause or exacerbating factor for presentation

General ED Psychiatric Workup

ACEP Guidelines 2005

  • Class B recommendations
  • Routine laboratory testing is of low yield and unnecessary
  • Routine urine toxicology need not be performed
  • Pending results should not delay transfer or evaluation
  • Patient’s cognitive abilities, rather than specific blood alcohol level, should dictate initiation of psychiatry evaluation

Risk Assessment

Use clinical judgment along with structured tools (e.g., SAD PERSONS, Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale) to assess:

  • Suicide risk (plan, means, intent)
  • Homicidal ideation or violent behavior
  • Gravely disabled or unable to care for self
  • Risk to others (e.g., psychosis, command hallucinations)
  • Access to firearms or lethal means

Management

General ED Psychiatric Management

Disposition

Disposition should be guided by clinical stability, psychiatric risk, support systems, and local resources. Consider:

Admit to Inpatient Psychiatry

  • Active suicidal or homicidal ideation with intent or plan
  • Severe psychosis, mania, or behavioral dysregulation that poses danger to self/others
  • Unable to care for self due to psychiatric decompensation (gravely disabled)
  • Failure of outpatient or partial hospitalization treatment with acute worsening
  • Severe withdrawal or detox needs (e.g., alcohol or benzodiazepine)

Medical Admission

  • Unstable vital signs, toxic ingestion, or altered mental status from organic cause
  • Requiring ongoing medical treatment (e.g., infection, injury, metabolic derangement)

Observation or Crisis Stabilization Unit

  • Milder psychiatric symptoms needing short-term containment
  • Awaiting collateral or outpatient placement/clearance
  • Requires reassessment after sobering, medication trial, or de-escalation

Potentially Safe for Discharge

  • No suicidal/homicidal ideation, stable mental status
  • Good insight and follow-up plan in place
  • No grave disability and clear understanding of safety plan
  • Collateral contact and outpatient psychiatric follow-up confirmed

Key Considerations Before Discharge

  • Evaluate safety at home: living situation, family support
  • Review access to weapons or harmful substances
  • Provide printed discharge instructions and crisis resources (e.g., suicide hotline)
  • Consider short-term outpatient bridge prescriptions if appropriate
  • Document clearly: capacity, decision-making, and risk assessment

See Also

External Links

References

  1. Leucht S, Burkand T, Henderson J, Maj M, Sartorius N (2007) Physical illness and schizophrenia: a review of the literature. Acta Psychiatr Scand 116: 317– 333
  2. Leucht S, Burkand T, Henderson J, Maj M, Sartorius N (2007) Physical illness and schizophrenia: a review of the literature. Acta Psychiatr Scand 116: 317– 333.
  3. Mai Q, D’Arcy C, Holman J, Sanfilippo FM, Emery JD, et al. (2011) Mental illness related disparities in diabetes prevalence, quality of care and outcomes: a population-based longitudinal study. BMC Med 9: 118.
  4. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/data_stats/mental-illness.htm
  5. Disability Rights Commission (2006) Equal Treatment: Closing the Gap. A Formal Investigation into Physical Health Inequalities Experienced by People with Learning Disabilities and/or Mental Health Problems. Disability Rights Commission. London.