Development of a Virtual Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service: A Multifaceted Transformation

ABSTRACT

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, our NYU Langone Health Tisch/Kimmel/Orthopedic Hospital Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry service underwent a multifaceted transformation to become a primarily Virtual CL Psychiatry service. We aimed to provide the hospital system with comprehensive psychiatric consultation for all patients, regardless of isolation status, while preserving personal protective equipment and avoiding unnecessary exposure to COVID-19 for our team members. In this article, we discuss harnessing technology for video consultations and transforming the multiple facets of an academic CL Psychiatry Service to become a comprehensive, functioning virtual consultation team during the COVID-19 pandemic. We review the history, best practices, legal, and regulatory considerations of using telepsychiatry for psychiatric consultations, challenges to implementation across multiple clinical sites, and expansion of the liaison rote to include support of frontline colleagues. Finally, we provide the physician, trainee, and psychiatric nurse perspective as it relates to this transition.