Caring for Patients with Depression in Primary Care

Depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States, and the traditional framework for managing depression within a psychiatry practicei.e., a single psychiatrist treating a single patient for up to an hour per weekcomes up painfully short at the level of serving the population even if it can be highly effective for individuals. At the same time, the non-systematic way in which most patients identify the need to see a specialty provider in behavioral health leaves many stranded, regardless of how complex their needs are. Primary care is now often considered the de facto mental health system in the United States, and primary care providers have been charged with the impossible task of making up for the dearth of psychiatric specialty providers and somehow correcting the many inequities in access to care that remain. Primary care providers shouldn't have to do this alone. Help can come in many forms, of course, and some primary care practices are luckyenough to have a consulting psychiatrist on-site, available to answer any questions that come up and see patients directly when they need an expert opinion. This is exactly what David S Kroll, MD, an Associate Vice Chair in the Department of Psychiatry at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, does for a primary care practice that serves more than 17,000 patients with a wide range of medical, social, and psychiatric problems. But most primary care practices don't have this resource. This book replicates the expertise of a consulting psychiatrist in a concise volume that primary care providers can pull off their shelves whenever they have a question about managing depression. It ensures that no one has to do this on their own.

Managing Depression in Primary Care contains fourteen chapters that anticipate the questions, problems, and practical challenges that are most likely to come up when managing depression in primary care. It covers the basic skills that are needed for treating depression when it occurs in a vacuum, but it also provides practical guidance on treating depression in the real worldwhere it will inevitably be complicated by other factors. It also covers important associated topics including suicide, substance use, and disability.

Targets the treatment of depression in the primary care setting Focuses on practicality to ensure that primary care providers can easily reach for the book in real time Includes specific, evidence-based guidelines for triaging and managing indicators of suicide risk

Auteur

David S. Kroll, MD is a psychiatrist based in Boston, Massachusetts and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. In his clinical practice, which is embedded within the Phyllis Jen Center for Primary Care at Brigham and Women's Hospital, he provides a broad range of integrated care services that include consultations across multiple platforms, Collaborative Care, and a high-volume walk-in clinic for the direct care of patients with virtually any psychiatric condition or question within primary care. He is also a nationally recognized expert in systems-based care, quality improvement, and quality measurement and has been a thought leader in the development of models for improving access to psychiatric care within complex health systems.

Contenu
Caring for Patients with Depression in Primary Care.-Diagnosing Depression.-Prescribing Antidepressant Medication.-Managing Risks and Side Effects of Antidepressant Medications.-Referring to Therapy.-Treatment Resistance and Advanced Therapies.-Managing Suicide Risk.-Managing Conflict.-Disability and the Legal System