Dennis Morrison PhD

Can scientists identify the root causes of the major psychiatric disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia? The answer to this question is both, “yes” and “no.”

We’re in the “me age.” The age of the individual. The age of the consumer. Healthcare and healthcare information technology (IT) communities are not immune to this shift. There is a growing realization in the arena that care needs to be more patient-centric and patient empowering.
In the behavioral healthcare space, this is called the Recovery Movement. “Recovery-oriented practices,” according to an article by Kendall Atterbury, are those that recognize the strengths of service users and… Show more

We’re in the “me age.” The age of the individual. The age of the consumer. Healthcare and healthcare information technology (IT) communities are not immune to this shift. There is a growing realization in the arena that care needs to be more patient-centric and patient empowering.
In the behavioral healthcare space, this is called the Recovery Movement. “Recovery-oriented practices,” according to an article by Kendall Atterbury, are those that recognize the strengths of service users and empower them within the mental health system. … Recovery-oriented practices emphasize shared decision-making, respect for service user goals and the recognition of the full humanity of persons in care relationships” (Atterbury, 2014).
The traditional model of healthcare was paternalistic, driven by professionals in a hierarchical model in which clinicians believed they and the staff knew what was best for the patient. The relationship was about maintaining control. Treatment planning and charting activities were usually done behind closed doors and with no patient involvement. It was common for clinicians to communicate using professional jargon, especially around diagnostics.
Decision-making was largely the purview of the clinical professionals. The power resided with the staff. It can be argued that this paternalistic system was not ideal clinically, especially when it came to behavioral health. Patients ran the risk of becoming overly dependent upon their care providers and could even display behaviors signifying institutionalization in outpatient settings. Those who experienced a significant loss of power in their lives either through trauma or some other means, could become re-traumatized inadvertently by their care providers. Treatment effectiveness could be compromised because the power dynamic prevented non-assertive patients from participating in their own care. The model of the all-knowing clinician and the passive patient is coming to an end. Show less

This white paper is a dialogue between two clinicians, one from a primary care
background and one from a behavioral healthcare background, about some key
similarities and differences in these disciplines and approaches. While both are involved
in healthcare, the cultures, workflows and philosophies of care can be quite different.
As primary care and behavioral health integration becomes more pervasive, this paper
seeks to reveal some of the challenges facing providers of all… Show more

This white paper is a dialogue between two clinicians, one from a primary care
background and one from a behavioral healthcare background, about some key
similarities and differences in these disciplines and approaches. While both are involved
in healthcare, the cultures, workflows and philosophies of care can be quite different.
As primary care and behavioral health integration becomes more pervasive, this paper
seeks to reveal some of the challenges facing providers of all kinds. Show less

Healthcare has always been a rapidly changing industry. That is more true today than
ever before. Here are five trends that are currently affecting the future of healthcare.
Many of these are specific to behavioral healthcare. All are connected to each other and
influence each other in a variety of ways. They are:
• Consumer-Directed Healthcare
• Increased Accountability
• Changing Demographics And Attitudes
• New Clinical Delivery Model
• Personalized Medicine

As politicians and legislators discuss and debate the future of healthcare, the facts
are that costs are escalating at an alarming rate. Consumers today are faced with less
money to spend on their own healthcare needs, and it is becoming more difficult to
access care in some areas as demand for care exceeds availability. Poor coordination
of care, especially between primary care providers and behavioral health specialists,
causes poor outcomes and increases waste.
Behavioral… Show more

As politicians and legislators discuss and debate the future of healthcare, the facts
are that costs are escalating at an alarming rate. Consumers today are faced with less
money to spend on their own healthcare needs, and it is becoming more difficult to
access care in some areas as demand for care exceeds availability. Poor coordination
of care, especially between primary care providers and behavioral health specialists,
causes poor outcomes and increases waste.
Behavioral health consumers often do not get their general health needs met and,
in the case of those experiencing a serious mental illness like schizophrenia, this lack
of access causes increased medical problems and premature death. Conversely, an
inordinate amount of behavioral healthcare is delivered not by specialists in that
field, but by primary care providers, which can lead to inaccurate diagnoses and
inappropriate treatment.
Providing coordinated healthcare that integrates both behavioral and physical
healthcare provides an efficient way of ensuring people have access to necessary
care without compromising one area for the other. However, it is unlikely that physical
integration of care will be sufficient given the relatively small number of providers
who can relocate to their counterparts’ facilities.
Virtual integration through Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Personal Health Records
(PHRs) and Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) is sustainable and reflects the future
trends of healthcare generally. The use of these tools ensures that care providers have
access to a patient’s full medical history, including current medications and health
conditions that should be considered as part of diagnosis or treatment, but does
not require the attending clinicians to be co-located or for that matter, to have even
met each other. Show less

The goal of integrating primary care and behavioral health is more than breaking down a long-standing gap between two core disciplines of medicine. It is really about addressing the mind/body health needs that unite to positively impact health and well-being on a large scale. Done correctly, integration will take advantage of what each discipline does well, improve care coordination and leverage each discipline’s unique expertise to improve the total well-being of the individual. In doing so… Show more

The goal of integrating primary care and behavioral health is more than breaking down a long-standing gap between two core disciplines of medicine. It is really about addressing the mind/body health needs that unite to positively impact health and well-being on a large scale. Done correctly, integration will take advantage of what each discipline does well, improve care coordination and leverage each discipline’s unique expertise to improve the total well-being of the individual. In doing so, it establishes a care process and experience for the individual that is more holistic and person-centric. For physicians, this model challenges long-held beliefs that began in medical school. Show less