Introduction to “Health Psychology Consultation in Inpatient Medical Settings: Physicians’ Perspectives and Preferences”
This insightful article by Palmer et al. (2025) delves into physicians’ perceptions and preferences regarding health psychology inpatient consultation services within an academic medical center. The study aims to enhance understanding of how these services can be refined to better meet the needs of both physicians and patients.
Key areas explored in the research include:
- Perceptions of medical inpatients’ behavioral health needs.
- Factors influencing referrals for psychological consultation.
- Desired types of services.
- Preferences for communication with health psychology consultants.
- Physicians’ confidence in making referrals to health psychology.
- The recognized contributions of psychologists beyond direct patient care.
The prevalence of psychiatric and substance use disorders among hospitalized medical patients is significant, with estimates showing an increase from 35.7% in 2010 to 42.4% in 2014. These co-occurring conditions are associated with longer hospital stays, higher readmission rates, increased mortality, and greater costs. This highlights the critical importance of addressing the behavioral and mental health needs of medical inpatients.
Psychologists, much like consultation-liaison (CL) psychiatrists, have a long history of providing consultation and treatment in inpatient medical settings. While both CL psychologists and CL psychiatrists address the mental health needs of hospitalized patients, their scopes and treatment modalities differ. CL psychologists assess cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional factors influencing illness and provide interventions to enhance coping, with common referral reasons including adjustment to illness, depression, and anxiety.
The study, based on an anonymous online survey completed by 49 physicians from 12 medical and surgical services, reveals that nearly half of the surveyed physicians believe hospitalized patients could benefit from psychological consultation. Despite recognizing the value, physicians noted barriers to referral, such as insufficient integration with medical teams and longer wait times for consultations. The findings underscore the value physicians place on direct communication with health psychology consultants over exclusive reliance on electronic medical records for discussing patient care recommendations. Ultimately, this research affirms that health psychology consultation is recognized as a valuable clinical service that not only enhances inpatient care but also provides broader institutional benefits, such as educational contributions.
Reference for the Article:
Palmer, B. E., Petrik, M. L., Barnes, R. D., Thomas, J. L., & Robiner, W. N. (2025). Health Psychology Consultation in Inpatient Medical Settings: Physicians’ Perspectives and Preferences. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-025-10075-3
