Treatment preparation in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy

Objective: The preparation for treatment represents a specific and crucial issue in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy. Aspects of outpatient diagnostics: A comprehensive interdisciplinary diagnosis is necessary that comprises both, the patient's psychopathology and biographical background. Since many patients are motivated externally and show a dysfunctional lay etiology, they often have to be motivated to begin treatment. Information must be supplied about the disorder, its etiology, and treatment options. Resistance against psychotherapy has to be addressed, which allows the patient to experience an initial helpful relationship. After a sufficient openness toward psychotherapy has been established, the patient is usually referred to a psychotherapist in private practice, since the doctor can treat only a few psychotherapy patients directly because of the time-consuming nature of psychotherapy. The success of referral can be increased by ad personam referral. Conclusion: In psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy, doctors in private practice and outpatient units have an important and specific function in health care that cannot be delegated to other professionals.