Do Psychopharmacologists Speak to Psychotherapists? A Survey of Practicing Clinicians

Abstract

We found that split-care treatment is common but that adequate communication between professionals engaged in such treatment frequently does not take place. Corroborating the findings of the earlier survey, many questions remain about the need for guidelines regarding the conduct of split-treatment and about how best to determine the importance of communication between professionals engaged in this therapeutic arrangement.

Is it time to talk? Understanding specialty child mental healthcare providers' decisions to engage in interdisciplinary communication with pediatricians

“…The finding that the decision to engage in interprofessional communication was case-specific but nonsystematic, and thus occurred sporadically, is consistent with previous findings within healthcare (Bramesfeld et al, 2012; Clancy et al, 2013; Kalman et al, 2012; Nair et al, 2012). Bramesfeld et al (2012), for example, found that good cooperation among mental health providers happened “by chance.” Likewise Nair et al (2012) found that decision making on the care of patients occurred infrequently between doctors and nurses.…”

“…Bramesfeld et al (2012), for example, found that good cooperation among mental health providers happened “by chance.” Likewise Nair et al (2012) found that decision making on the care of patients occurred infrequently between doctors and nurses. Similarly, psychopharmacologists and psychotherapists often provide collaborative treatment to shared patients, yet communication often does not take place between these professionals (Kalman et al, 2012). …”

Split-Care Patients and Their Caregivers

“…Focusing on the question of communication between professionals working in split-care arrangements, this study supports the findings of previous psychotherapist and psychopharmacologist surveys: for a significant proportion of patients receiving split care, no communication whatsoever has taken place between their providers of treatment. Indeed, either through directly asking if communication between their two providers had occurred or using the obtaining of consent for communication as a proxy, our results actually yield higher rates of provider non-communication than the previous two surveys ( Avena and Kalman, 2010 ; Kalman et al, 2012 ). Requesting permission from a patient to speak to the other professional in a split treatment arrangement may reflect a clinician’s intention to communicate with the other professional or, at least, recognition of the possible, future necessity of such contact.…”

“… Avena and Kalman (2010) published a survey of practicing psychotherapists that assessed the occurrence of communication between the psychotherapists and prescribers in split treatment. Kalman et al (2012) published a similar survey of practicing psychiatrists. In these recent studies, split care was found to be quite common: 36% of psychotherapy patients and 41% of psychotropic medication patients were receiving psychotherapy and medication from two different professionals.…”

“…Missing from the literature, however, are the perspectives of patients themselves and the impact of clinician communication on patient outcome. By soliciting patient reports of split treatment collaboration and patient satisfaction, this study sought to address the following research gaps: 1) replicating previous studies that examined collaboration practices between providers ( Avena and Kalman, 2010 ; Kalman et al, 2012 ), but from the perspective of the patients; 2) assessing the relationship between degree of provider collaboration and patient satisfaction. Survey methodology was used to maximize the ease with which a broad population of split-care patients could be reached.…”