title: The primary care prescribing psychologist model: medical provider ratings of the safety, impact and utility of prescribing psychology in a primary care setting.
abstract: Family medicine providers at a large family medicine clinic were surveyed regarding their impression of the impact, utility and safety of the Primary Care Prescribing Psychologist (PCPP) model in which a prescribing psychologist is embedded in a primary care clinic. This article describes the model and provides indications of its strengths and weaknesses as reported by medical providers who have utilized the model for the past 2 years. A brief history of prescribing psychology and the challenges surrounding granting psychologists the authority to prescribe psychotropic medication is summarized. Results indicate family medicine providers agree that having a prescribing psychologist embedded in the family medicine clinic is helpful to their practice, safe for patients, convenient for providers and for patients, and improves patient care. Potential benefits of integrating prescribing psychology into primary care are considered and directions for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Fitzsimmons Drive, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA. david.shearer3@us.army.mil
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Shearer
authors.forename: S Cory
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Harmon
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Seavey
authors.forename: Alvin Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Tiu
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005194:Family Practice; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008887:Military Medicine; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010348:Patient Care Team; D061214:Patient Safety; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011586:Psychology, Clinical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States