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Puerto Rico Psychiatric Society

Psychotherapy.... anyone?



To define psychotherapy is to define the doctor-patient relationship. In these days of fast (managed) care taking time to listen to patients is much more difficult. Should we not personalize psychiatry once again?

The February 1997 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry includes a special article on "The Economic Impact of Psychotherapy: A ReviewK" by Glen O. Gabbard, et al. The Authors conclude that "psychotherapy appears to have a beneficial impact on a variety of costs when used in treatment of the most severe psychiatric disorders..." Their review indicates that "there is a substantial cost in not providing the mentally ill adequate psychotherapeutic support, not only in human terms but also in economic terms".American Journal of Psychiatry, February 1997; 154:147-155.
Reference: Psychiatric Practice and Managed Care Vol 3 No 1 January/February 1997.


The invasion of the doctor-patient relationship into a
provider-intermediary- consumer relationship.

In psychiatry the doctor-patient relationship IS MEDICINE. It is generally not put into paper as a prescription but is the main and sometimes only instrument a psychiatrist uses to lead a needy patient with a mental disorder into treatment and improvement of his or her quality of life. There is a general concern that this instrument is being attacked by intermediaries who take the decision-making role away from both patient and psychiatrist allegedly on behalf of financial objectives. This situation increases pain and suffering for patients and forces psychiatrists to balance their ethical standards against their own financial needs. Neither effect is acceptable.

The Puerto Rico Psychiatric Society is pushing for mental health laws that will protect patients and the doctor-patient relationship instead of allowing the extinction of this psychotherapeutic instrument.

Go to the American Journal of Psychotherapy

Another relevant page is in psychotherapy finances

One in Spanish: Revista de psicoanįlisis


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