Telepsychiatry has become a standard part of emergency and inpatient hospital care, driven by workforce shortages, after-hours coverage needs, and lasting changes from the COVID-19 pandemic.

IV ketamine's rapid antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects make it well suited to the inpatient timeline, where the 6–8-week lag of standard antidepressants is often untenable.

Liver function tests (LFTs) are critical in psychiatry because the liver metabolizes most psychotropic medications, and because heavy alcohol or substance use may impair hepatic function.

One of the most challenging problems in adolescent care is figuring out what level of care will give patients the best chance of recovery or progress. We give you a guide to decide what level of care to recommend based on your individual patient.

While stimulant withdrawal typically does not cause physiologic symptoms requiring immediate medication treatment, patients can be behaviorally challenging during this time. Here, researchers developed a protocol to treat patients withdrawing from methamphetamines on an inpatient unit.

Token economies utilize a system where positive behaviors are rewarded with tokens that can be exchanged for desired items or privileges, fostering increased patient engagement and autonomy. We outline the essential steps for initiating and overseeing a token economy within a psychiatric unit.