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Improving psychiatric consultation to nonpsychiatrist physicians
T L Thompson1, T N Wise, A B Kelley
1Department of Psychiatry, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
Psychosomatics
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Nonpsychiatrist physicians avoid referring patients to psychiatrists due to cost concerns, perceived unavailability, and stigma. Addressing these misperceptions could improve physician referral networks for psychiatric care.
Area of Science:
- Medical Practice
- Psychiatry
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Physician referrals are crucial for patient access to specialized care.
- Understanding barriers in interdisciplinary referrals is essential for healthcare system efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify challenges nonpsychiatrist physicians face when seeking psychiatric consultations or referrals.
- To explore reasons for underutilization of psychiatric services by nonpsychiatrist physicians.
Main Methods:
- A survey was conducted among nonpsychiatrist physicians.
- The survey focused on their experiences and reasons for not referring patients to psychiatrists.
Main Results:
- Key barriers include the belief that other mental health professionals offer comparable services at lower costs.
- Physicians perceive psychiatrists as less available for patient discussions.
- Greater stigma associated with seeing a psychiatrist compared to other mental health professionals was reported.
Conclusions:
- Misperceptions regarding cost, availability, and stigma hinder psychiatric referrals.
- Psychiatrists should proactively address these misconceptions to enhance collaboration and referral networks.