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How do you decide whether to request a welfare check (police or mobile crisis) when a typically responsive outpatient becomes suddenly unreachable?

How do you balance concern for patient safety with the potential harms of an intrusive intervention, including trauma or loss of therapeutic alliance? What factors most strongly influence your threshold to escalate?
2 Answers
Mednet Member
Mednet MemberInvited Expert
Psychiatry · Christiana Psychiatric Services
Answered on

Patient safety and welfare come first. If a patient suddenly becomes unreachable, a welfare check is in order. A reasonable person would comprehend that this is borne of concern and should not cause a breach in the therapeutic relationship. On the contrary, most would be grateful for the concern.

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Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Psychiatry · Stamford Hospital
Answered on

Balancing safety and patient alliance is a constant battle, NEVERMIND easing our own anxiety.

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