The mental health patient profile: does it change primary care physicians' practice patterns?

BACKGROUND

We conducted a prospective trial randomizing 75 physicians to either a control or intervention arm to evaluate the impact of providing patient-reported information on anxiety and other mental health symptoms and disorders to primary care physicians.

METHODS

Five hundred seventy-three patients of the study physicians who met entry criteria were randomized to either usual care or usual care supplemented with feedback of patient-reported mental health information to physicians. This mental health information was derived from initial patient-reported questionnaires completed in waiting rooms of physicians contracted to a mixed-model health maintenance organization in Colorado. Main outcome measures included impact of intervention on rates of (1) chart notation of anxiety, depression, or other mental health diagnoses or symptoms; (2) referral to mental health specialists; (3) prescription of psychotropic medications; (4) hospitalization; and (5) office visits during a 5-month observation period.

RESULTS

Physicians receiving feedback on previously unrecognized and untreated anxiety patients were more likely to make chart notations (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.51, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 1.62-3.87), to make referrals to mental health specialists (AOR = 3.86, 95 percent CI = 1.63-9.16), and to see patients for more frequent outpatient visits (AOR = 1.73, 95 percent CI = 1.11-2.70). Use of psychotropic medications and rate of hospitalizations did not differ significantly.

CONCLUSIONS

Providing patient-reported mental health information to primary care physicians resulted in increased recognition and referral rates for previously unrecognized and untreated anxiety patients, plus an increase in primary care visits, without concomitant increases in the use of psychotropic medications or rate of hospitalizations.