Team Approach: Management of Mental Health in Orthopaedic Patients

Mental health evaluation should be considered an essential part of the routine preoperative assessment and should be managed by a multidisciplinary team composed of the primary care physician, orthopaedic provider, and behavioral health specialist.

The scientific literature indicates that patients without comorbid psychiatric symptoms and adaptive coping strategies, resilience, and well-managed expectations have improved functional outcomes and satisfaction after orthopaedic procedures.

Psychological issues are multifaceted and require treatment tailored to each individual patient. Therefore, close communication between all members of the care team is required to create and execute the perioperative plan.