Description
CBS PUBLICATION Psychiatric Interview And Examination by Bhatia M S
Psychiatric assessment primarily consists of history and mental status examination of the individual. Psychiatric history is of crucial importance as the majority of the patients would have exhibited many symptoms during the course of the illness which might not be present at the time of the examination. Many a times, the diagnosis may solely rest on history. Thus, it is of fundamental importance to learn to obtain psychiatric history systematically. The technique of Psychiatric assessment is important not only for the psychiatrist but also for a medical specialist, practioner or other mental health professionals, since a large percentage (more than one third) of patients have psychiatric disorders. In no other branch of medicine is the history taking and interview is important as in psychiatry.