A Biopsychosocial Approach for the 21st Century

Summary

This video script highlights a holistic approach to patient care, emphasizing the integration of mental health and physical health in treating patients with severe psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The work, founded in 2016, focuses on the biopsychosocial model, aiming to address not only the psychological but also the social and physical aspects of patient health. The script also discusses collaborative care, neuroimaging research in chronic pain, physician communication coaching, and the vision of providing innovative, integrated care across a variety of medical settings to reduce health disparities for patients with severe mental illness.

Takeaways

• 😀 The approach to patient care is holistic, considering the person as a whole with diverse backgrounds and experiences rather than just focusing on disease.
• 😀 Collaborative care between Psychiatry and general medicine was established to address the intersection of mental health and physical health for better patient outcomes.
• 😀 The biopsychosocial model of care emphasizes the importance of psychological and social factors in patient treatment alongside medical care.
• 😀 Patients with severe psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, often face a 20-year shorter life expectancy due to untreated common medical conditions.
• 😀 Proactive collaborative care (CL) aims to address mental health needs systematically within hospital settings, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive care.
• 😀 Behavioral health specialists, including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and social workers, are essential in providing holistic care in the hospital environment.
• 😀 The integration of psychiatry with neurology addresses the mental health needs of patients with neurological conditions, helping bridge the gap in care.
• 😀 Neuroimaging research seeks to understand how the brain generates pain and how chronic pain changes the brain, which could help predict long-term pain outcomes.
• 😀 The physician communication coaching program is designed to help doctors improve communication skills, boosting both their job satisfaction and patient satisfaction.
• 😀 The future of healthcare involves continued innovation, particularly in expanding integrated mental health services across various settings to reduce disparities in care for those with severe mental illness.

Q & A

What is the main approach to patient care at the University of Rochester Medical Center's Division of Collaborative Care and Wellness?

The main approach is holistic, viewing patients as human beings with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and aspirations. The focus is on addressing not only their disease states but also their psychological and social needs.

What is the purpose of the Division of Collaborative Care and Wellness?

The division was founded in 2016 with the aim to design and implement programs and services that integrate psychiatry with general medicine, emphasizing the biopsychosocial model of care.

What is the biopsychosocial model in the context of medical care?

The biopsychosocial model highlights the importance of considering psychological and social factors, in addition to biological factors, when treating patients. It emphasizes a more comprehensive approach to care.

What challenges do patients with severe psychiatric conditions face, and how does the division aim to address them?

Patients with severe psychiatric conditions, like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, tend to live about 20 years less than their peers and often die from common medical conditions that could have been treated earlier. The division aims to address these issues through proactive care and better integration with general medical services.

What is the role of proactive collaborative care (CL) in a medical hospital?

Proactive collaborative care involves systematically screening for mental health needs in patients admitted to medical units. It integrates psychiatry with general medicine, working closely with medical teams to provide comprehensive care.

How has the team composition in the collaborative care model evolved?

The team initially included a psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, and social worker. It is now expanding to include behavioral analysts to better meet the needs of the patient population.

What is the current focus of the team in evaluating service effectiveness?

The team is evaluating various service metrics, including the timing of consultations, the volume of cases, and the mental health needs of the population. They are also assessing the success of a two-year quality improvement (Qi) grant.

What research is being done related to neuroimaging and chronic pain?

The research aims to understand how the brain processes pain (nociception) and how chronic pain may alter brain function. Researchers are trying to determine if brain changes occur before or as a result of chronic pain, which could help predict the course of pain in patients.

What is the focus of the University of Rochester Medicine's Physician Communication Coaching Program?

The program helps physicians develop their communication skills throughout their careers, improving their satisfaction and patient interactions, which ultimately enhances patient satisfaction and care outcomes.

What is the long-term vision for healthcare and mental health services at the University of Rochester?

The long-term vision is to expand integrated services to more primary care and specialty sites, both in hospitals and outpatient settings. The goal is to improve care for individuals with severe mental illness and address healthcare disparities through innovation and collaboration.