Five-Year Outcomes Following Psychiatric Consultation to a Tertiary Care Emergency Room

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.7.1350
• Publication Date: 2003-06-29T18:14:13Z
• Authors: Michael T. Lambert; James P. LePage; Andrew L. Schmitt
• Keywords: Psychiatric diagnosis; Veterans Affairs; Tertiary care

OBJECTIVE: The authors prospectively examined inpatient psychiatric hospitalization and mortality rates of patients seen in the emergency room a large Department Veterans Affairs medical center. METHOD: Charts 504 receiving evening consultation during 13-month period were assessed 5 years after to determine mortality. RESULTS: Patients with multiple diagnoses, including comorbid addiction disorders, had significantly higher an visit. Comorbid disorders increased rate across diagnoses. Seventy-eight died study period. CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal relationships between diagnostic profiles future rates. This information could focus interventions for high-risk patients.