The Wall Street Journal (4/14, Landro, Subscription Publication) reports in “The Informed Patient” that US hospitals are paying more attention to the psychological cost faced by families with children struggling with serious or life-threatening illnesses. Some hospitals are now using the Psychosocial Assessment Tool to help screen families after a child receives a diagnosis. The score allows medical professionals to assess if a family needs outside assistance for problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression or could otherwise benefit from counseling to help them deal with a stressful situation.
Related Links:
— “Hospitals Help Families Cope: The Psychological Toll of a Child’s Illness,” Laura Landro, Wall Street Journal, April 13, 2015.