The Surgeon General has called for primary care clinicians to identify the psychiatric problems of high risk, culturally diverse and/or chronically ill patients. Yet psychiatric services are often limited or disconnected from primary care. The frustrations created can lead to burnout. Focus groups in Region III of the Public Health Service identified the following major concerns of primary care physicians and community psychiatrists: 1)Lack of physician involvement in decision-making 2)Need for education on burnout and support Services, including mental health resources 3)Need to have a voice in the larger system 4)Help enduring things that cannot be changed
The groups suggested that continuing professional education provide on-going assistance from experts while creating opportunities for mutual support. The ability to address issues of stress/burnout and isolation, and the capacity to procure professional resources to assist others with these problems were identified as critically important.
An internet-based professional development program has been implemented to address these issues. This pilot project hopes to: 1) Encourage discussion of mental health disciplines in the care of patients in primary care practices, with an additional important focus on the mental health needs/concerns of clinicians and their families. 2) Connect local community psychiatric services and primary care efforts to decrease disparities in health status and health care; and 3) Use the Internet and technology to meet training/resource needs in distressed and marginalized communities.
This presentation will discuss the evolution of the project so far and demonstrate how members of the project have made use of their connections.
Learning Objectives: 1) understand the mutuality of the needs of primary care physicians and community psychiatrists 2) describe the process of creating an online community of continuing professional development
Keywords: Primary Care, Mental Health Care
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.