The Role of the Integrated Care Psychiatrist in Community Settings: A Survey of Psychiatrists’ Perspectives

• Published in: Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 67; no. 3; pp. 346 - 349
• Main Authors: Norfleet, Kathryn R, Ratzliff, Anna D. H, Chan, Ya-Fen, Raney, Lori E, Unützer, Jürgen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychiatric Association 01.03.2016; American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc
• Subjects: Delivery of Health Care, Integrated - standards; Evidence-Based Medicine; Female; Humans; Integration; Internet; Male; Mental health care; Middle Aged; Patient-Centered Care - organization & administration; Psychiatrists; Psychiatry; Qualitative research; Surveys and Questionnaires; Washington
• ISSN: 1075-2730; 1557-9700
• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.201400592

Objective:The objective of this study was to describe the work and experiences of psychiatrists practicing integrated care in the community.Methods:Consulting psychiatrists working in integrated care participated in an online survey about their experiences, opinions, and advice. Results were analyzed with quantitative and qualitative methods.Results:A convenience sample of 52 psychiatrists from around the country who were working in integrated care responded. Respondents reported that they address a wide variety of clinical problems with a range of treatment strategies. Most reported positive experiences, which were summarized in four themes: working in a patient-centered care model, working with a team, the psychiatrist’s role as educator, and opportunities for growth and innovation.Conclusions:The survey documented the experiences of psychiatrists working in integrated care. Findings suggest that integrated care teams allow consulting psychiatrists to leverage their expertise to reach a large number of patients in a variety of practice settings.