title: Caring for adults with mental disabilities. Problems tend to be complex among this growing population.
abstract: Providing medical care for patients with mental disabilities may be challenging and financially unappealing because of the need for extra time and effort. Nonetheless, primary care physicians can meet the medical needs of these patients and benefit from working with a team approach that fosters open communication and documentation of potential barriers and preferences. Development of healthcare maintenance guidelines that can be easily individualized is also beneficial. Advanced planning and a willingness to learn help the clinician overcome the challenges and develop a strong patient-provider relationship that can be very rewarding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Practice, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55408, USA. david.councilman@hennepin.mn.us
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Councilman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D005791:Patient Care; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010348:Patient Care Team; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011322:Primary Prevention