WALTHAM, Mass., July 10 Health plans seldom screen for substance abuse and mental health in primary care even though it can improve detection and treatment, says a U.S. study.
Constance Horgan, director of the Institute for Behavioral Health at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, in Waltham, Mass., says that requiring health plans to screen patients for mental health and substance abuse problems could help identify more people with behavioral health conditions, the first step toward effective treatment.
In 2001, 68 percent of adults reported an appointment with a primary care doctor within the last year, there are many effective tools for screening available and screening, when combined with appropriate treatment, has proven to help patients, according to the study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine
"There is a growing emphasis on the role of primary care doctors in addressing behavioral health problems, and screening for mental health issues and substance abuse is one important strategy that physicians can use to identify problems and get patients into treatment," Horgan said in a statement.
Copyright 2007 by UPI
