The mental health patient profile: does it change primary care physicians' practice patterns?

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Mental Health Services Research
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a crucial role in identifying and managing mental health conditions.
• Effective integration of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) into primary care settings is essential for improving mental healthcare.
• Challenges exist in PCPs recognizing and addressing undiagnosed mental health symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of providing patient-reported mental health information to PCPs.
• To assess whether this intervention improves the identification and management of mental health conditions in primary care.

Main Methods:

• A prospective trial randomized 75 physicians into control and intervention groups.
• 573 patients were randomized to usual care or usual care with feedback of PROs.
• Outcomes included chart notation, specialist referrals, psychotropic medication prescriptions, hospitalizations, and office visits over 5 months.

Main Results:

• Physicians receiving PRO feedback were more likely to document anxiety (AOR=2.51) and refer patients (AOR=3.86).
• The intervention group showed increased outpatient visits (AOR=1.73).
• No significant differences were observed in psychotropic medication use or hospitalization rates.

Conclusions:

• Patient-reported mental health information significantly enhances PCP recognition and referral for untreated anxiety.
• The intervention led to increased primary care utilization without escalating medication or hospitalization rates.
• PRO feedback is a valuable tool for improving mental health management in primary care settings.