How to do a Pink Slip

Dr.Dimov / Dr. Dines

How to Pink slip a patient

Pink slipping somebody is a serious matter, this is an involuntary hospitalization with all legal consequences.

Always remember that a pink slip is valid for only 3 court days (3 working days) and you cannot issue another pink slip. Once you sign the pink slip the clock starts ticking.

If the patient needs to stay in hospital beyond the pink slip duration a court affidavit has to be filed.

The pink can be filled by any physician, the court affidavit is filed by a psychiatrist.

There are 4 sections of the pink slip. Patient must fulfill at least one of them in order to be hospitalized against his/her will.

1. Danger to himself, e.g. planning to kill himself.
2. Danger to others, e.g. likely to hurt somebody else.
3. Not able to take care of himself or provide for his basic physiologic needs, e.g. demented patient forgetting to eat.
4. Will benefit from inpatient psychiatric treatment - this is the "softest" indication.

In the section below these 4 causes you have to write a brief hx, mainly the features in the patient behavior that lead you to the conclusion that this patient needs involuntary hospitalization.

Example:
42 yo AAM w PMH of Schizophrenia was found on the street throwing bricks at passerbyes, yelling that FBI is telling him to kill himself.

Patient represents a danger to himself and others and needs an inpatient psychiatric treatment.