Comments on: Why is the wait so long to see a psychiatrist?

By: John Dimock

John Dimock — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 16:23:00 +0000

I asked to post as a guest and there you go. Well done. Just proves how this is an anti psychiatry forum

By: John Dimock

John Dimock — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 16:22:00 +0000

Where are all these psychiatrists? Numbers have been decreasing in training programs for years as far as I know. All doctors in one way or another should have the right to practice how and when they want. Psychoanalysts see patients over and over-and analysis is defunct surely. I agree with Frank-26 sessions is more than enough. Problem is increasing numbers of referrals for reasons related not to psychiatry-disability in particular-nobody-including GPs wants to get involved in paper which is what disability generates in my office. Then there is the increasing litigation-see a new patient means increasing your likelihood of more paper, trying to justify yourself to the beloved College. Tell them to leave us alone and youd get more referrals being seen. I see a new patient a day cause I am not intimidated by the failed doctors at the College.

By: Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 15:07:00 +0000

In reply to Frank Cashman.

Hello Frank:

Thanks for starting the discussion. It’s important to begin thinking about other ways of delivering care because many people who suffer from mental illness are not being properly helped by the existing system

Paul Taylor

By: Frank Cashman

Frank Cashman — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:39:00 +0000

It is possible that the majority of patients who need or want to see a Psychiatrist do not need to see a Psychiatrist. Often the reason for this is that Psychiatrists do not charge a fee in Ontario and they have professional credentials which lead patients to want to see a Psychiatrist. One could increase the pool of Psychiatrists available for therapy by limiting psychotherapy sessions to 26 per year i.e. once per week for six months. Although many colleagues might disagree with this my understanding is that there is little evidence that more therapy than this leads to a better outcome.

Also Psychiatrists might be reserved for individuals with serious and persistent mental illnesses who require medications and supportive psychotherapy. Special application could be made for patients who have chronic mental illnesses and need long-term care but even those patients, in most cases, do not need to be seen more than once a week for any extended time.

Patients, and other Psychiatrists in training, who require individual therapy for more than 26 sessions in a years should be asked to pay for the care.

Dr. K has discovered what every Psychiatrist knows but it is useful that this has been documented. More Psychiatrists or destigmatizing mental illness will not make more care available to patients.