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The author reviews the scope, underlying assumptions, and organization of consultation-liaison psychiatry. During the 40 years since their inception, liaison services in general hospitals have played a mediating role between psychiatry and medicine. The liaison psychiatrist is one of the few health professionals with a broad enough perspective to achieve a measure of integration of diverse data relevant to comprehensive evaluation and management of patients. Liaison psychiatrists are increasingly involved in teaching and research in addition to clinical activities. The author predicts that the education, functions, and professional attitudes of the liaison psychiatrist represent a viable model that psychiatry as a whole will increasingly adopt.
Z. J. Lipowski (Sat,) studied this question.