Primary Care is the nexus point for the majority of non-life threatening issues, including mental and physical health (and their meeting point at behavioural health). With many regions in Canada facing a primary care crisis, integrating psychologists into primary care using a Primary Care Behavioural Health (PCBH) model can improve patient access to assessment and […]
Clinical Vignette Ms. P was a 40-year-old single Jewish woman who was referred to a psychologist embedded in a breast cancer program by her surgical team. Her surgeon identified her to be very anxious during their first appointment, which she attended alone, stating that she did not have many supportive people in her life. She […]
Primary care is an important setting for improving identification and treatment of people at risk for suicide. Dr. Dueweke outlines evidence-based practice considerations for behavioral health consultants (BHCs) tasked with conducting suicide risk assessments and safety planning interventions in integrated primary care behavioral health (PCBH) settings. She will also discuss findings that highlight the importance […]
Clinical Vignette John is a 54-year-old man being seen by his primary care provider (PCP) for management of diabetes, chronic pain, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. When he screens positively on a brief depression screener at his regular primary care appointment, his PCP asks him whether he would be interested in meeting with the primary […]
One of the most basic skills that is rarely taught in graduate education for mental professionals is the skill of deciding the intensity, duration, and frequency of treatment across the panel of patients they see. This skill is particularly important currently given the increased demand for psychological services due to the pandemic. Adequate dosing and […]
Dr. Jennifer Birdsall reviews clinical approaches to address psychologist referrals for challenging behaviors in long-term care (residential) settings and how to best support interdisciplinary, person-centered plans of care. She reviews key concepts in successful nonpharmacological behavior management, as well as strategies to facilitate staff education, buy-in, and execution of recommended treatment interventions. Strategies for overcoming […]
Written by Blue Door Consulting on December 5, 2019
The integration of primary care and mental health services has developed significantly over the last 15 years. Service delivery models have been developed and tested, the literature base has grown and now thousands of mental health professionals self-identify as working in some form of integrated care setting. Here we will review the latest developments in […]
Written by Blue Door Consulting on December 5, 2019
Just about every article or conference on health care reform these days treats “integration” and “ending silos” as essential requirements for improving the U.S. health care system. In this article, I have no intention of diverging from the general cheerleading. However, I think it is important that we be clear about what is involved in […]
Written by Blue Door Consulting on December 5, 2019
This article is based on the opening presentation by the author to the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers’ 5th National Conference, ‘‘Preparing Psychologists for a Rapidly Changing Healthcare Environment’’ held in March, 2011. Reviewing the patient protection and affordable care act (ACA), that presentation was designed to set the stage for several days […]
Written by Blue Door Consulting on December 5, 2019
Organ transplantation as a treatment of choice has increased in recent years due to concurrent advances in medical science. Patients successfully receive transplanted solid organs – kidney, heart, liver, pancreas, lungs, and intestines – and transplanted bone marrow and stem cells. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS, 2010) reports more than 100,000 patients waiting […]