The Psychiatrist Specialist in Health Reform
Physician specialists are often considered to be the main culprits in the financial problems of health care. Multiple articles have been written in the media on the benefits of receiving non-physician health care. Many are unsure if decades worth of specialized training can be condensed into a 1-year training course. What might the benefits of seeing a psychiatrist for my patients? Insurance payers believe that psychiatrists are only trained to use medications. Surprised to find out that psychiatrists get training and supervision in several types of psychotherapy over the three years they spend as residents. The American Psychoanalytic Society's former president was my long-term supervisor during residency. Do I have the ability to be reproduced by a non-specialist psychiatrist who has only limited training as a trained psychiatrist? How should I advise my patients on new provider selections necessitated due to changes in their insurer reimbursement?
First, it is essential for patients to fully understand their diagnosis. The media and the herbal industry market interventions that claim to be able to treat depression. Unfortunately, ads don't differentiate between mild or severe depression. A mild form of treatment that is responsive to distraction may be an option for mild depression. Mild depression symptoms are usually mild and do not interfere with daily life. If you wake up feeling blue or depressed, you may call a friend to talk it out, or you go to work. The feeling then disappears. Many symptoms of severe depression include a difficulty with concentration or focus, inability to get up, and thoughts of suicide. You can see that symptoms vary in their intensity and how they impact daily life. It is important to remember that no matter how severe or scientifically supported the diagnosis, depression can be treated.
Vogue Magazine, May 2009 featured an article called "Pregnant Pause" that was a poignant account of the daily challenges facing those working in the subspecialty in reproductive psychosiatry. One pregnant female was described as suffering from eating disorders and obsessive thinking that prevented her daily functioning. Her primary care physician diagnosed her with mild depression. The article highlighted adverse effects of antidepressant medication during pregnancy. It highlighted the mild illness of this patient and said that she received incorrect information. Because of the stigma associated psychiatry, severe patients often receive mental health care from individuals with little psychiatric training.
Reputable magazines don't always address the severity or recommend interventions that have no scientific merit. As a psychiatrist specializing in reproductive health, my counseling sessions with patients include weighing the benefits and risks. The Pregnancy Decision Handbook for Women Suffering from Depression, which I won an award for, was written to help women with depression develop their own treatment plans. There are many options for women depending upon their severity.
I respond to patients' inquiries regarding potential mental health professionals by suggesting an honest evaluation of their illnesses. A psychiatrist is recommended for those with severe illnesses that hinder their functioning. Prozac's introduction and subsequent introduction of serotonin-selective inhibitors (SSRIs), was a major breakthrough in mental healthcare treatment. It is important to have experience with the treatment of depression if you have been suffering from it for more than 20 years.
My opinion is that anyone with a strong family history of mental illness and previous bouts of illness that have caused severe disability should be referred to a specialist for at most a consultation. Many patients are referred after suffering repeated medication failures. Sometimes, treatment resistance can be caused by misdiagnosis or incorrect medication dosages by less qualified health professionals. Additionally, my experience and training allow me to recognize which emotions are associated with underlying medical conditions and which are related psychiatric conditions. A lot of times, there is no need to give medication as the life circumstances that cause these feelings are not causing impairments. Patients need to have better coping skills than a prescription that is written after a brief crisis assessment. While I am not considered to be a cost-effective member of the current health care debate, is seeing a psychiatrist truly wasteful? Is it really wasteful if the psychiatrist can accurately diagnose and treat your illness? Can a counselor and primary care physician replace a well-trained psychiatrist?
Psychiatrist Austin TX is a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice.
Physician specialists are often considered to be the main culprits in the financial problems of health care. Multiple articles have been written in the media on the benefits of receiving non-physician health care. Many are unsure if decades worth of specialized training can be condensed into a 1-year training course. What might the benefits of seeing a psychiatrist for my patients? Insurance payers believe that psychiatrists are only trained to use medications. Surprised to find out that psychiatrists get training and supervision in several types of psychotherapy over the three years they spend as residents. The American Psychoanalytic Society's former president was my long-term supervisor during residency. Do I have the ability to be reproduced by a non-specialist psychiatrist who has only limited training as a trained psychiatrist? How should I advise my patients on new provider selections necessitated due to changes in their insurer reimbursement?
First, it is essential for patients to fully understand their diagnosis. The media and the herbal industry market interventions that claim to be able to treat depression. Unfortunately, ads don't differentiate between mild or severe depression. A mild form of treatment that is responsive to distraction may be an option for mild depression. Mild depression symptoms are usually mild and do not interfere with daily life. If you wake up feeling blue or depressed, you may call a friend to talk it out, or you go to work. The feeling then disappears. Many symptoms of severe depression include a difficulty with concentration or focus, inability to get up, and thoughts of suicide. You can see that symptoms vary in their intensity and how they impact daily life. It is important to remember that no matter how severe or scientifically supported the diagnosis, depression can be treated.
Vogue Magazine, May 2009 featured an article called "Pregnant Pause" that was a poignant account of the daily challenges facing those working in the subspecialty in reproductive psychosiatry. One pregnant female was described as suffering from eating disorders and obsessive thinking that prevented her daily functioning. Her primary care physician diagnosed her with mild depression. The article highlighted adverse effects of antidepressant medication during pregnancy. It highlighted the mild illness of this patient and said that she received incorrect information. Because of the stigma associated psychiatry, severe patients often receive mental health care from individuals with little psychiatric training.
Reputable magazines don't always address the severity or recommend interventions that have no scientific merit. As a psychiatrist specializing in reproductive health, my counseling sessions with patients include weighing the benefits and risks. The Pregnancy Decision Handbook for Women Suffering from Depression, which I won an award for, was written to help women with depression develop their own treatment plans. There are many options for women depending upon their severity.
I respond to patients' inquiries regarding potential mental health professionals by suggesting an honest evaluation of their illnesses. A psychiatrist is recommended for those with severe illnesses that hinder their functioning. Prozac's introduction and subsequent introduction of serotonin-selective inhibitors (SSRIs), was a major breakthrough in mental healthcare treatment. It is important to have experience with the treatment of depression if you have been suffering from it for more than 20 years.
My opinion is that anyone with a strong family history of mental illness and previous bouts of illness that have caused severe disability should be referred to a specialist for at most a consultation. Many patients are referred after suffering repeated medication failures. Sometimes, treatment resistance can be caused by misdiagnosis or incorrect medication dosages by less qualified health professionals. Additionally, my experience and training allow me to recognize which emotions are associated with underlying medical conditions and which are related psychiatric conditions. A lot of times, there is no need to give medication as the life circumstances that cause these feelings are not causing impairments. Patients need to have better coping skills than a prescription that is written after a brief crisis assessment. While I am not considered to be a cost-effective member of the current health care debate, is seeing a psychiatrist truly wasteful? Is it really wasteful if the psychiatrist can accurately diagnose and treat your illness? Can a counselor and primary care physician replace a well-trained psychiatrist?
Psychiatrist Austin TX is a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice.