Consultant checklist

  • Contact the CSS clinical coordinator to obtain information about the case, clarify the reason for consultation, and the people who should be involved in the consultation.

  • Clarify any questions with the consultee prior to meeting with the patient; discuss with the consultee whether they can/should be present during the assessment of the patient

  • Arrange a time and place for the consultation. Whenever possible this should be in the usual clinical setting where the referring clinician sees the patient.

  • Meet with the patient and/or clinician to collect information.
    • Follow the guidelines for the cultural formulation to make certain all pertinent information is collected.

    • Make certain to determine the patient’s ethnocultural and linguistic background.

    • Obtain informed consent from the patient for the evaluation study (This allows us to assess their symptomatology, satisfaction with the consultation process, and health care utilization.)


  • After reviewing the information and discussing the case with the clinical coordinator or one of the co-directors of the service, contact the consultee to give initial recommendations. This can be done in person, by telephone or in a brief letter but in any case, a copy of the CCS Consultation Recommendations Form should be sent immediately to the CCS.

  • Prepare a comprehensive cultural formulation of the case.

  • Present this formulation at the clinical rounds of the CSS.

  • Based on discussion at that meeting, prepare a final version of the cultural formulation

  • Submit the final report and your invoice for billing.
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