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- May 11, 2014
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I just received an email saying that our tele-psychiatrists for children 12 and under is going to be up and running and to start referring kids there. Right now we have an PMHNP for 13 and up and soon to be tele-doc for the kids. This is the solution for the community. The medical doctors would rather have me do the job than the mid-levels because they recognize my expertise in diagnosing and treating mental illness. The primary care docs don't want to deal with psychiatric care. If we had enough psychiatrists, it wouldn't be a problem. From what I hear, the shortage is not just in rural areas like my own, so what is the solution, if not psychologists?
***edit*** FYI just wanted to add that I used to be more anti-RxP, but the needs of my patients and the community are pushing me in the other direction.
Honestly, doctors liking you isn't a credential to practice medicine. It's a recommendation letter in a medical school application.
And this part is controversial among psychiatrists: but... it's my opinion that the increased psychotropic medication demand is artificial and not based in proper diagnosis. For example the annual rate of psychotropic medication use by children/adolescents was 1.4 per 100 in 1987, 3.9 per 100 in 1996 and 8.3 percent in 2000-2001. (-Adams, WICHE 2009) Recent data isn't published but it is likely over 10% if the trend continued. Likewise SSRI use in the USA from ages 18-44 increased nearly 400% from 1988-1994 to 2005-2008. (-Pratt, NCHS Data Brief 2011) Further OECD figures show USA leads other countries in antidepressant prescriptions. The OECD (these are developed countries btw in case you aren't familiar with economics) average antidepressant daily dose per 1,000 population? 52.5. USA average? well over 100.
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