Patricia Westmoreland, MD
Biography
Dr. Patricia Westmoreland is a consultation-liaison psychiatrist at the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition in Denver, CO where she works with individuals hospitalized on a medical unit for treatment of their life- threatening eating disorders. Dr. Westmoreland also operates a private forensic psychiatry practice where she evaluates defendants in criminal cases and plaintiffs involved in civil litigation.
A longtime advocate for legislation that benefits individuals with mental illness, reduces stigma, and ensures that our patients are evaluated and treated by a physician led team, Dr. Westmoreland has testified before the state legislature, and met with legislators on Capitol Hill to advance our profession. Holding office in the American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law and the American Medical Association, Dr. Westmoreland is well-versed in working across organizations for the betterment of Psychiatry.
Dr. Westmoreland has also dedicated much of her time to presenting at national meetings, educating the public via news media, and mentoring the next generation of psychiatrists. She previously worked as residency training director at The Medical Center of Aurora and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine. She has written extensively on the topic of ethical and legal challenges in managing patients with severe eating disorders, women’s mental health, psychiatric management of medically ill patients, and the intersection between psychiatry and the law. Her peer-reviewed publications reflect her interest in these topics. Dr. Westmoreland is the editor of Tipping the scales: ethical and legal dilemmas in managing severe eating disorders (APA Press 2020).
