Clinical Round Table 11 - Enhancing Psychological Care in the Psychiatric Inpatient Setting

Inpatient psychiatric settings pose unique challenges to delivering high-quality psychological care; hospitalizations are brief, teams are interdisciplinary, and patients may face barriers that limit the generalization of treatment gains. Patients present with significant symptoms and deserve high-quality care; however, no standardized psychological care guidelines exist for inpatient settings.

First, the session will demystify inpatient psychiatric care, covering key features such as multidisciplinary team dynamics, unit structures, safety measures, and treatment approaches. Second, experts will review the current evidence base relevant to psychological interventions in this setting and discuss obstacles to implementation. Third, the session will address the absence of national standards for inpatient psychiatric care.

The roundtable will use an interactive approach to foster discussion. Panelists and attendees will envision the future of inpatient psychological care and brainstorm how existing evidence-based therapies may be adapted for the inpatient setting. Panelists and attendees will also be asked to consider gaps in the literature and other systemic barriers to creating standardized guidelines for psychological care in the inpatient setting and brainstorm future directions. Through facilitated dialogue, panelists and attendees will share insights from their own experiences, promoting peer learning and innovative solutions.

The discussion will benefit providers across levels of care. Attendees will be better equipped to communicate with patients and families about what to expect when receiving inpatient treatment. They can also build a professional network with others committed to improving inpatient psychological care. Overall, this discussion aims to lay the groundwork for adapting evidence-based therapies to the inpatient setting and to set the stage for developing standardized care guidelines.