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R A Annunziato, D Rubinstein, S Sheikh, M Maurer, G Cotter, M M McKay, O Milo-Cotter, J M Gorman, and E Shemesh (2008)
Site matters: winning the hearts and minds of patients in a cardiology clinic
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January 06, 2009 09:40 AM - EST
Psychosomatics.
BACKGROUND: In medical care settings, mental health symptoms of depression and distress are associated with poor medical outcomes, yet they are often underrecognized. OBJECTIVE: Authors sought to examine the effect of having immediate mental-health screening in the cardiology clinic. METHOD: The Patient Health Questionnaire and the Impact of Event Scale were used to screen for depression and distress in 316 patients at an urban cardiology clinic. Because of poor follow-up rates, a psychiatrist was placed on the premises of the cardiology clinic to facilitate referrals. RESULTS: Placing a psychiatrist within the cardiology clinic significantly improved the rate of successful referrals. CONCLUSION: Because 45 patients (14%) endorsed suicidal thoughts, authors conclude that mental health screening programs should include an immediate evaluation by a clinician
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