Hospital Practice A lthough psychologists have worked in hospitals for many years, current regulations in Pennsylvania prevent patients from choosing a psychologist as their primary mental health provider within those hospitals. The same regulations also prevent hospitals from using psychologists to the fullest extent of their training and expertise.
Hospitalizations usually occur at a time of crisis for patients.
It is precisely at this time that patients often want to maintain their relationships with their chosen mental health providers. This issue is especially important for individuals who have been treated as outpatients by psychologists and who want continuity in their treatment. Currently, hospitalization may cause a painful disruption of the patient's treatment, as referral to a physician is required. Additionally, the psychologist may be prevented from working with the patient while in the hospital. This situation results in an anomaly in which patients in Pennsylvania's private psychiatric hospitals have a broader choice of health care providers than do patients in Pennsylvania's general hospitals.