Open AccessImproving Outcomes in Patients With Bipolar Disorder Through Establishing an Effective Treatment Team
Author(s) -
Jeffrey Susman
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
primary care companion to the journal of clinical psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1537-6699
pISSN - 1523-5998
DOI - 10.4088/pcc.9064su1c.05
Subject(s) - psychoeducation , bipolar disorder , collaborative care , medicine , health care , collaborative model , psychology , psychiatry , mental health , cognition , psychological intervention , economics , economic growth , linguistics , philosophy
A treatment gap exists between the efficacious treatments available for patients with bipolar disorder and the usual care these patients receive. This article reviews the evolution of the collaborative care treatment model, which was designed to address treatment gaps in chronic medical care, and discusses the efficacy of this model when applied to improving outcomes for patients with bipolar disorder in the primary care setting. Key elements of collaborative care include the use of evidence-based treatment guidelines, patient psychoeducation, collaborative decision-making with patients and with other physicians, and supportive technology to facilitate monitoring and follow-up of patient outcomes. Integrating psychiatric and medical health care can assist in achieving the goal of bipolar disorder treatment, which is full functional recovery for patients.