Psychiatric consultation in the family physician's office Advantages and hidden benefits

Family physicians spend up to 40% of their time dealing with emotional and psychiatric problems and may be the only caretaker for 60% of all episodes of psychiatric illness. One way of strengthening the role of the family physician in managing psychiatric problems in their practices is by involving them in an initial psychiatric assessment, which may entail the patient being seen in the primary care setting. This intervention, offered by a …