Psychiatrists with substance use disorders: positive treatment outcomes from physician health programs.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare outcomes of psychiatrists and nonpsychiatrist physicians enrolled in state physician health programs for substance use disorders. METHODS: The study used the data set from a five-year, longitudinal cohort study of 904 physicians, including 55 psychiatrists, with diagnoses of substance abuse or dependence consecutively admitted to one of 16 state physician health programs between 1995 and 2001. RESULTS: There was a higher proportion of women among psychiatrists than among other physicians, but there were no other significant differences between the cohorts. Five-year outcomes were similar between psychiatrists and the other physicians, with at least 75% of psychiatrists continuing their medical practice after five years of monitoring and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrists were not overrepresented compared with other physician groups and had similar clinical outcomes at the five-year follow-up. Physician health programs appeared to be effective treatment programs for psychiatrists with substance use disorders.

The effectiveness of telemental health: a 2013 review.

INTRODUCTION: The effectiveness of any new technology is typically measured in order to determine whether it successfully achieves equal or superior objectives over what is currently offered. Research in telemental health-in this article mainly referring to telepsychiatry and psychological services-has advanced rapidly since 2003, and a new effectiveness review is needed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed the published literature to synthesize information on what is and what is not effective related to telemental health. Terms for the search included, but were not limited to, telepsychiatry, effectiveness, mental health, e-health, videoconferencing, telemedicine, cost, access, and international. RESULTS: Telemental health is effective for diagnosis and assessment across many populations (adult, child, geriatric, and ethnic) and for disorders in many settings (emergency, home health) and appears to be comparable to in-person care. In addition, this review has identified new models of care (i.e., collaborative care, asynchronous, mobile) with equally positive outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Telemental health is effective and increases access to care. Future directions suggest the need for more research on service models, specific disorders, the issues relevant to culture and language, and cost.