Spanish Perspective on Enlarging a Small Specialty: The National Research Network for Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics

The development of psychosomatic and Liaison Psychiatry units in Spain: A national enquiry

“…Following the lead of American Consultation Liaison Psychiatry [18,19] and the successful initiatives in European countries [20], movements towards subspecialization in PLP are on the agenda of the Working Group of the SEP. Progress in the field will also come from research and innovation [21]. Following the in-itiative of the Spanish Research Network in Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics [22], there is now a specific research program in CIB-ERSAM, the consortium of the National Research Institute Carlos III (ISC iii) [23].…”

Identification of components of health complexity on internal medicine units by means of the INTERMED method

“…However, both internal medicine participating units are characteristic of Spanish National Health System hospitals covering official health regions. Sampling error was previously considered and demographic and clinical characteristics of patients in this study were similar to those reported in a large, multicentre study of internal medicine unit patients in seven National Health System hospitals in Spain . Other limitations may be related to the screening method itself.…”

“…Among them, LOS is not necessarily a reflection of health complexity, since it may rather be related to local hospitalisation rules and/or discharge practices, to the population served or to doctors' attitudes regarding stay duration rather than a patient's care needs . It has also been observed that elderly people constitute a high proportion of those patients admitted to internal medicine units in Spain , having a mean LOS considerably higher than in Spain's general hospitals . In the current study, the average age was 76 years, also much older than those studied with the INTERMED in other medical groups .…”

Depression in internal medicine inpatients at the time of hospital discharge and referral to primary care

“…The study was carried out by members of the Spanish Research Network in Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics (REPEP). 22 Data from this investigation have been presented in several national and international meetings. The study was conducted from January 2004 through December 2006 in 8 different generals, public hospitals of the national health system covering a health district in Spain.…”