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Inpatient Adult Psychiatry (4B Upstate)

Inpatient Adult Psychiatry
Upstate University Hospital
4B
750 East Adams Street
Syracuse, NY 13210
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Phone: 315 464-9096
Fax: 315 464-4378
Name: Luba Leontieva, MD/PhD, Medical Director
Email: leontiel@upstate.edu

The University Hospital Inpatient Psychiatric Unit (4B) admits both voluntary and involuntary patients eighteen years and older with a wide variety of psychiatric and substance use disorders. While such problems are the primary reason for admission, many patients have additional medical needs.  4B is a 23 bed, acute care unit with an average length of stay of 5 days.

The unit utilizes an inter-disciplinary team approach. The doctors, social workers, nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, and mental health therapy aides all work together to help patients get better.

Referrals

Patients may be referred from:

  • University Hospital emergency room
  • Other clinical departments within University Hospital
  • C.P.E.P. (Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation Program) (via the Transfer Center)
  • Community physicians (via the Transfer Center)
  • Other facilities (via the Transfer Center)

Plan of Care

Patients are offered an individualized plan of care consisting of individual, group, and family psychotherapies, medications, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and recreation and occupational therapies with a strong emphasis on skill development through psycho-educational programming.

Our unit is devoted to being a safe and secure environment. Therefore, we value that our patients and staff interact with each other with respect and that patients express feelings in words rather than in hostile verbal or physical actions. We strive to provide treatment that is free of addictive substances and utilize behavior agreements for safety of patients and staff. Our unit works closely with the Addiction Psychiatry program lead by Dr. Brian Johnson.

The unit is an important site for the training of junior residents, who receive extensive experience in application of the Biopsychosocial model, and is coordinated with the efforts of an interdisciplinary treatment team. In addition, we utilize psychological testing conducted by a psychologist to obtain a better understanding of our patient's diagnosis, strength and weaknesses, and personality organization.

Close supervision is provided by the unit attendings for all aspects of care. However, 4B residents are encouraged to function as independently as possible and are considered to be primary therapists for their patients. Continuity of care is fostered at all levels. House staff have the option of continuing to follow patients after discharge in the hospital's Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic. Conversely, residents and faculty psychiatrists are encouraged to follow their patients when re-hospitalization on the inpatient unit becomes necessary.

We also supervise medical students, some of whom return for Acting Internships, and we greatly value their input and dedication to our patients.

Lastly, a research program is an important component of the unit's mission. Investigations are conducted in an effort to understand better and to treat more effectively the many complex diagnostic and management cases admitted. Residents have the opportunity to participate in and to gain experience from this important endeavor. Many choose to do so and are further supported to present their findings at national conferences. Below are 4B research publications:

Awareness of treatment needs and length of stay amongst psychiatric inpatients (2015). Megna JL, Aneja A., Sauro M., Ahmad N., Simionescu, M., Mustata G., Herrera Rojas M., and Wade M. Comprehensive Psychiatry.

Changes in cognition in response to depression treatment during inpatient psychiatric hospitalization (2014). Presented at APA 2014, NYC, in process of publication. Luba Leontieva, Sergey Golovko, Aadhar Adhlakka, Lyuba Polinkovski, Charles Harris, Donald A. Cibula, Thomas Schwartz, and James L. Megna.

A retrospective study of weight changes and contributing factors in short term adult psychiatric inpatients (2006). Megna, JL, Kunwar AR, and Wade M. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 18 (3): 163-167.

Services

  • Medication Management
  • Individual Therapy
  • Group Therapy
  • Family Therapy
  • Psychological Testing/Diagnostic Clarification
  • Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Personnel

Attendings

  • Luba Leontieva, M.D., Ph.D, Medical Director
  • James L. Megna, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Director

Additional personnel

  • Interim Nurse Manager
  • Clinical Training Specialist
  • Clinical Leaders
  • Social Workers
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Recreation Therapist
  • Patient Service Coordinators
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