Addressing suicidality in primary care settings

By design or by default, primary care providers (PCPs)are frequently the vanguard in the fight against suicide. Recent studies have highlighted programs to improve screening and prevention of suicidality in the medical home, particularly among high-risk patients, such as adolescents, the elderly, and veterans. Increasing efforts are also being paid to improving the PCP's skill in assessing for suicidality. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that screening alone will not significantly lower suicide rates until it occurs within a well-integrated system that facilitates timely referral to more intensive mental health services for those patients who need them. Unfortunately, such systems are sorely lacking in many, if not most, areas of the USA.