I received exciting news from Dr. Kolin Good, M.D., a colleague in Reading, Pennsylvania. There is a thriving Medical-Psychiatry Unit (MPU) at Reading Hospital. Dr. Good consulted with The University of Iowa several years ago on how to get it started, since we have a 15 bed MPU.
They call it the Medical Complexity Unit (MCU) and the highlights of her message are:
“We now have 19 beds.
Nursing 1:4 ratio.
Staffing is 1 internist ( hospitalist) and 1 psychiatrist ( me) with a psychiatric social worker and physician’s assistant.
We have a LOS that is the same as other units of the hospital.
We have decreased 1:1’s throughout our entire hospital ( > 650 beds ).
We are a favorite rotation for training.
Most important: we provide excellent care for complex patients.”
Congratulations are in order!
Reading Hospital is also looking for a Consultation-Liaison Psychiatrist (although not to staff the MCU).
A former teacher of mine and a major mover and shaker in the integrated care effort is Dr. Roger Kathol, MD, the leader of Cartesian Solutions, Inc. Check his web site by googling the name. The credit goes to him, Dr. Good, and the rest of the Reading Hospital staff who made the MCU a reality.
Go Retire Psychiatrist 