Introduction and Philosophy of the Practice
The healthcare field has been undergoing enormous changes over the past 15 years. There are tremendous financial pressures that are forcing doctors to see more and more patients, each for less and less time. The net result is that your doctor will probably spend no more that 5-10 minutes with you during your appointment. This state of affairs is no different in psychiatry. Many, if not most, psychiatrists complain that the amount of time allotted for each patient is inadequate for them to learn about the patient as a person, understand in detail their underlying or ongoing issues and make complicated treatment decisions. Many psychiatrists will say that they have barely enough time to make a diagnosis and then write prescriptions. These are infamously known as “med checks,” and they are not mutually satisfactory for either the patient or psychiatrist. I do not do “med checks.”
The purpose of this practice is to create and maintain a setting in which I can work with patients under optimal circumstances. This means giving myself enough time to listen to people, ask important questions and formulate treatments plans that specifically are designed for that patient.
