Telephone curbside consults for Saint Joseph, Good Samaritan hospitals

Effective immediately, medical practitioners at Saint Joseph and Good Samaritan hospitals can reach out for ad-hoc consults from psychiatric nurse practitioners in the Canyons region to assist with specific psychiatric needs between the hours of 4 p.m. and 2 a.m. daily, including on weekends. At this time, this service does not extend beyond these hours. Issues that develop outside of these hours need to be handed off to afternoon coverage for consultation.

Practitioners seeking a consult do so with the following understanding:

• The consulting practitioner at SJH or GSH retains sole responsibility for patient care and the patient treatment decision.

• The consulting practitioner at SJH or GSH will exhaust all options within their capacity to manage the patient’s condition prior to seeking a curbside consultation.

• The psychiatric NP responding to the curbside request will not have access to the patient's chart and will need a detailed clinical presentation and specific clinical question(s) to answer.

• The psychiatric NP will not leave recommendations in Epic and should not be named in the clinical documentation.

Inclusion criteria

• The patient is currently in the Emergency Department or admitted at Saint Joseph or Good Samaritan.

• The patient is 18 years or older.

• The medical practitioner requires help managing one of the following needs:

  • Mania or psychosis.

  • Catatonia.

  • Behaviors and psychological symptoms of patients with severe cognitive impairment (e.g., dementia, delirium).

  • Recommendations for restarting or continuing home medications on patients.

  • Adjusting or initiating psychiatric medications for patients who could avoid behavioral health admission with the medication.

  • Review of lab results pertaining to psychopharmacology.

Exclusion criteria

• The patient is currently in the outpatient setting.

• The patient is younger than 18 years old.

• The patient requires placement.

• The patient only needs resources or referrals.

• The patient needs a crisis evaluation. Please utilize your onsite assessment teams or tele-crisis to manage these situations.

To initiate a curbside consult, call the IH Patient Placement Transfer Center at 855-932-3648, opt. 2, between 4 p.m. and 2 a.m. and ask for a HOSPITAL TELEPSYCHIATRY CONSULT.

You will need to provide the patient's location, including the hospital, department and room number, your name and your direct call-back number.

Physicians and APPs with questions can contact Ryan Jackman, MD, senior medical director of the Peaks Behavioral Health Service Line.