Geriatric Mental Health Alliance News
A bi-weekly email to brief you on issues important to geriatric mental health
January 19, 2009 - Vol 3, Issue 01
GMHA Concerns Re. NYS Budget
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NYSOMH Mission Should Include Older Adults
January 19, 2009 - Vol 3, Issue 01
GMHA Concerns Re. NYS Budget
As a first step to developing an advocacy agenda, the GMHA's policy and advocacy committee identified a number of concerns about the NYS Executive Budget Request for 2009-10 including:
- Reduction of the state's contribution to SSI payment
- Delay of mental health housing start-ups
- Whether funding for the indigent care pool for mental health clinics is adequate to prevent cuts of service
- Cuts to aging service programs
- Cuts to home care
- Cuts to hospitals and nursing homes despite plans to reinvest some savings in outpatient care
- Cuts to the long-term care ombudsman program
- Inclusion of anti-depressants in the Medicaid preferred drug program
- The need for emergency coverage when Medicare Pt. D does not pay for needed medications
- And more
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NYSOMH Mission Should Include Older Adults
The NYS Office of Mental Health is revising its mission, vision, and values statements and is asking for feedback on the proposed changes. We are concerned because the proposed changes do not specifically mention older adults, however they do mention adults and children. Given the significant growth in the elder population and the fact that the needs of older adults are as different from adults as the needs of children are from adults, we believe it is important for OMH to specifically mention in its mission statement addressing the mental health needs of elders in NYS.
Here is the proposed revised mission statement:
"The New York State Office of Mental Health promotes the mental health of all New Yorkers. Our mission it to facilitate recovery for adults with serious mental illness, resilience for children with serious emotional disturbances, and to improve the capacity of communities across New York to achieve these goals.
Please take a minute to contact OMH suggesting that they include older adults in their mission statement.
Suggestions and comments can be sent to transformation@omh.state.ny.us by February 15, 2009.
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2009 Annual Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of NY Meeting
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GMHA Upcoming Events
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Other Upcoming Events
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Medicare 2009 in a Nutshell
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Health and Aging Policy Fellows: 2009-2010 Call for Applications
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Article...Antipsychotic Use in Elders With Alzheimer's Leads to...
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Article...Perceptions: With Age, Memories Carry Less Emotion
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Article...Cookbook Medicine' Won't Do for Elderly
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Article...Blood Sugar Control Linked to Memory Decline, Study Says
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Article...New Model of Care is Needed, Experts Say
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Article...Higher Co-Payments a Bar for Seniors Needing Mental Health Care
Here is the proposed revised mission statement:
"The New York State Office of Mental Health promotes the mental health of all New Yorkers. Our mission it to facilitate recovery for adults with serious mental illness, resilience for children with serious emotional disturbances, and to improve the capacity of communities across New York to achieve these goals.
Please take a minute to contact OMH suggesting that they include older adults in their mission statement.
Suggestions and comments can be sent to transformation@omh.state.ny.us by February 15, 2009.
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2009 Annual Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of NY Meeting
Please join your fellow Alliance members for an exciting annual membership meeting.
The meeting will take place:
Date: Friday, February 06, 2009
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Location: Health Insurance Plan of New York (HIP)
55 Water Street, 3rd Floor, Connecticut/NJ Room.
New York, NY 10041
Guest Speaker and Award Recipient: Dawn Lannon, Associate Commissioner, Adult Community Care Group, NYS Office of Mental Health
Ms. Lannon will be speak about the state's vision for geriatric mental health. The Alliance will also present her with an award for her commitment to the mental health needs of older adults.
For the agenda, click here.
Please RSVP by clicking here or http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2fpbke1fppvese2/start.. If you have any questions or concerns, please email or call Yusyin Hsin at yhsin@mhaofnyc.org or (212) 614- 6356.
The meeting will take place:
Date: Friday, February 06, 2009
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Location: Health Insurance Plan of New York (HIP)
55 Water Street, 3rd Floor, Connecticut/NJ Room.
New York, NY 10041
Guest Speaker and Award Recipient: Dawn Lannon, Associate Commissioner, Adult Community Care Group, NYS Office of Mental Health
Ms. Lannon will be speak about the state's vision for geriatric mental health. The Alliance will also present her with an award for her commitment to the mental health needs of older adults.
For the agenda, click here.
Please RSVP by clicking here or http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2fpbke1fppvese2/start.. If you have any questions or concerns, please email or call Yusyin Hsin at yhsin@mhaofnyc.org or (212) 614- 6356.
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GMHA Upcoming Events
January 20, 2009 - Models of Substance Abuse Treatment for Older Adults: A Best Practices Presentation in Geriatric Mental Health co-sponsored by the Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of New York and the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging and Longevity of Hunter College.
This presentation will give an overview of the issues faced by seniors with substance abuse disorders, including the dynamics of substance abuse among this population and information about effective treatment models for older adults.
The event will be held from 3:00 - 5:00PM at the Hunter College School of Social Work - Auditorium, 129 East 79th Street, NYC, (Between Lexington and Park Avenues). Please register by clicking here or visit: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2f56lfkfongg4b8/start. If you have any questions, please email or call Yusyin Hsin at yhsin@mhaofnyc.org or (212) 614-6356. The event is free but pre-registration is required.
This presentation will give an overview of the issues faced by seniors with substance abuse disorders, including the dynamics of substance abuse among this population and information about effective treatment models for older adults.
The event will be held from 3:00 - 5:00PM at the Hunter College School of Social Work - Auditorium, 129 East 79th Street, NYC, (Between Lexington and Park Avenues). Please register by clicking here or visit: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2f56lfkfongg4b8/start. If you have any questions, please email or call Yusyin Hsin at yhsin@mhaofnyc.org or (212) 614-6356. The event is free but pre-registration is required.
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March 5, 2009 - The 12th Annual Comprehensive Approach to Dementia Symposium: A Practical Update for Practitioners in Mental Health, Primary Care and Long-Term Care Settings.
Location: New York Academy of Medicine,
103rd Street at 5th Avenue
New York City
This course will offer the practitioner an overview of emerging trends in the diagnosis and treatment of the dementias. A nationally recognized faculty will discuss the characterization and treatment of the cognitive, behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia.
GMHA members attend for $25 but need to register in advance.
For more information, click here.
March 5, 2009 - The 12th Annual Comprehensive Approach to Dementia Symposium: A Practical Update for Practitioners in Mental Health, Primary Care and Long-Term Care Settings.
Location: New York Academy of Medicine,
103rd Street at 5th Avenue
New York City
This course will offer the practitioner an overview of emerging trends in the diagnosis and treatment of the dementias. A nationally recognized faculty will discuss the characterization and treatment of the cognitive, behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia.
GMHA members attend for $25 but need to register in advance.
For more information, click here.
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May 15, 2009 - Save-the-Date - Third Annual Geriatric Mental Health Alliance Conference.
TREATMENT AND BEYOND: Meeting the Behavioral Health Challenges of the Elder Boom
Brooklyn Marriott, NY
Keynote Speaker: Cameron J. Camp, Ph.D.
Click here for the Save-the-Date Flyer...
May 15, 2009 - Save-the-Date - Third Annual Geriatric Mental Health Alliance Conference.
TREATMENT AND BEYOND: Meeting the Behavioral Health Challenges of the Elder Boom
Brooklyn Marriott, NY
Keynote Speaker: Cameron J. Camp, Ph.D.
Click here for the Save-the-Date Flyer...
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Other Upcoming Events
January 29, 2009 - CSCS Annual Conference - The Power of Aging: Uncovering the Opportunities in Change, sponsored by Emblem Health, the conference will include political and economic updates on key issues in aging services on the Federal, State and City levels as well as remarks from both City Council Speaker Quinn and City Comptroller Thompson. The keynote speaker is Greg Newton who will speak about the simple but effective steps everyone in your agency can take to transform a first-time visitor into an on-going participant.
For more information, please view the brochure, and to register for the conference, please complete the registration form and fax it back to 212-398-8398. For more conference details, go to www.cscs-ny.org/conference
February 20, 2009 - Wellness Is For Everyone: Improving the Physical and Mental Health of New York City's Culturally and Ethnically Diverse Communities. Mental health consumers from diverse cultural/ethnic backgrounds and older adults are more vulnerable to chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease than other groups. In this workshop, consumers and experts will speak on the combination of risk factors for physical illnesses, techniques for communicating, and ideas for having a healthier lifestyle.
For more information, click here.
March 18-22, 2009 - Allied Tea Training for Parkinson (ATTP) The National Parkinson Foundation, Inc is pleased to announce its signature educational program for health care professionals and students. Allied Team Training for Parkinson is a unique, comprehensive interdisciplinary training program where over 4.5 consecutive days, participants will learn:
RRTI 2008-9 Geriatrics and Developmental Disabilities Nurse Training Program The Rehabilitation Research and Training Institute is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2008-2009 Geriatrics and Developmental Disabilities Nurse Training Program. For a full list of courses and their descriptions and registration, please visit www.rrti.org. Nurses with all levels of training are invited to register for these free courses. Please note that a certificate is available for those Nurses who complete C1-C4 and Nursing Contact Hours can be obtained. For more information and questions, please contact Matt Yaeger at matt@nyrehab.org or 518-449-2976 ext 101. Courses start September 17, 2008 at various videoconference sites.
This continuing education activity has been submitted to the New York State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation
Educational Seminar Series at Service Program for Older People (SPOP) This training opportunity features SPOP clinicians who have extensive experience with older adults and mental health. It is offered to the professional geriatrics community and all who work with seniors. Each seminar is held at: 302 West 91st Street at West End Avenue, New York, NY. Seminar fee: $15. Discount for 3 or more attendees from the same organization. Space is limited. Please register in advance by mail or online at www.spop.org or call: 212-787-7120.
For topics, dates, and registration information, click here.
Consortium of New York Geriatric Education Centers
GNYGEC 2008/2009 is beginning another semester of Core and Elective trainings throughout the five boroughs. Click here for the 2008/2009 program announcement, registration form, credit card forms, and training locations. You may also register online here.
For more information, please view the brochure, and to register for the conference, please complete the registration form and fax it back to 212-398-8398. For more conference details, go to www.cscs-ny.org/conference
February 20, 2009 - Wellness Is For Everyone: Improving the Physical and Mental Health of New York City's Culturally and Ethnically Diverse Communities. Mental health consumers from diverse cultural/ethnic backgrounds and older adults are more vulnerable to chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease than other groups. In this workshop, consumers and experts will speak on the combination of risk factors for physical illnesses, techniques for communicating, and ideas for having a healthier lifestyle.
For more information, click here.
March 18-22, 2009 - Allied Tea Training for Parkinson (ATTP) The National Parkinson Foundation, Inc is pleased to announce its signature educational program for health care professionals and students. Allied Team Training for Parkinson is a unique, comprehensive interdisciplinary training program where over 4.5 consecutive days, participants will learn:
- Key symptoms and treatment approaches for early, middle, and late stage Parkinson disease
- Specialized assessment and care techniques specific to their profession
- How to participate in interdisciplinary health care teams by practicing in teams
- Key concepts in health literacy and culturally responsive services
RRTI 2008-9 Geriatrics and Developmental Disabilities Nurse Training Program The Rehabilitation Research and Training Institute is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2008-2009 Geriatrics and Developmental Disabilities Nurse Training Program. For a full list of courses and their descriptions and registration, please visit www.rrti.org. Nurses with all levels of training are invited to register for these free courses. Please note that a certificate is available for those Nurses who complete C1-C4 and Nursing Contact Hours can be obtained. For more information and questions, please contact Matt Yaeger at matt@nyrehab.org or 518-449-2976 ext 101. Courses start September 17, 2008 at various videoconference sites.
This continuing education activity has been submitted to the New York State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation
Educational Seminar Series at Service Program for Older People (SPOP) This training opportunity features SPOP clinicians who have extensive experience with older adults and mental health. It is offered to the professional geriatrics community and all who work with seniors. Each seminar is held at: 302 West 91st Street at West End Avenue, New York, NY. Seminar fee: $15. Discount for 3 or more attendees from the same organization. Space is limited. Please register in advance by mail or online at www.spop.org or call: 212-787-7120.
For topics, dates, and registration information, click here.
Consortium of New York Geriatric Education Centers
GNYGEC 2008/2009 is beginning another semester of Core and Elective trainings throughout the five boroughs. Click here for the 2008/2009 program announcement, registration form, credit card forms, and training locations. You may also register online here.
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Medicare 2009 in a Nutshell
Martin Petroff, principal of Martin Petroff & Associates, an elder law firm that concentrates in the long-term care needs of disabled individuals and the elderly has created a great summary of Medicare for 2009.
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Health and Aging Policy Fellows: 2009-2010 Call for Applications
Supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies and directed by Harold Alan Pincus, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University (in collaboration with the American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship Program), this national program seeks to provide professionals in health and aging with the experience and skills necessary to make a positive contribution to the development and implementation of health policies that affect older Americans. The program offers two different tracks for individual placement: (1) a residential track that includes a nine-to-12-month placement in Washington, D.C. (as a legislative assistant in Congress, a professional staff member in an executive agency or in a policy organization) or at a state agency; and (2) a non-residential track that includes a health policy project and brief placement(s) throughout the year at relevant sites. Core program components focused on career development and professional enrichment are provided for fellows in both tracks.
The program is open to physicians, nurses and social workers at all career stages (early, mid, and late) with a demonstrated commitment to health and aging issues and a desire to be involved in health policy at the federal, state or local level. Other professionals with clinical backgrounds (e.g., pharmacists, dentists, clinical psychologists) working in the field of health and aging are also eligible to apply. Under special circumstances, exceptions may be made for non-clinicians who are in positions that can impact health policy for older Americans at a clinical level.
The application deadline for the 2009-2010 fellowship year is April 15, 2009.
For further information, please visit the website at www.healthandagingpolicy.org .
The program is open to physicians, nurses and social workers at all career stages (early, mid, and late) with a demonstrated commitment to health and aging issues and a desire to be involved in health policy at the federal, state or local level. Other professionals with clinical backgrounds (e.g., pharmacists, dentists, clinical psychologists) working in the field of health and aging are also eligible to apply. Under special circumstances, exceptions may be made for non-clinicians who are in positions that can impact health policy for older Americans at a clinical level.
The application deadline for the 2009-2010 fellowship year is April 15, 2009.
For further information, please visit the website at www.healthandagingpolicy.org .
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Article...Antipsychotic Use in Elders With Alzheimer's Leads to...
Antipsychotic Use in Elders With Alzheimer's Leads to Large Increase in Mortality
NEW YORK -- January 8, 2009 -- There is a large increased long-term risk of mortality in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who are prescribed antipsychotic medication, according to the long-term follow-up results of the Dementia Antipsychotic Withdrawal Trial (DART-AD) published early online and in the February edition of The Lancet Neurology.
While there is evidence of modest short term benefits of antipsychotic treatment for the neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD, there is also clear evidence of an increase in adverse effects. However, all the data regarding mortality so far relate to short term follow-up of 12 weeks or less.
Clive Ballard, MD, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, London, United Kingdom, and colleagues have provided the first long-term follow-up data for AD patients given antipsychotic drugs.
To read more, click here.
NEW YORK -- January 8, 2009 -- There is a large increased long-term risk of mortality in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who are prescribed antipsychotic medication, according to the long-term follow-up results of the Dementia Antipsychotic Withdrawal Trial (DART-AD) published early online and in the February edition of The Lancet Neurology.
While there is evidence of modest short term benefits of antipsychotic treatment for the neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD, there is also clear evidence of an increase in adverse effects. However, all the data regarding mortality so far relate to short term follow-up of 12 weeks or less.
Clive Ballard, MD, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, London, United Kingdom, and colleagues have provided the first long-term follow-up data for AD patients given antipsychotic drugs.
To read more, click here.
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Article...Perceptions: With Age, Memories Carry Less Emotion
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
Published: December 29, 2008
Younger people, it appears, take a dimmer view of the past than their elders, and it might be because they process and retain memories differently.
Researchers showed 180 pictures to 15 people in their 20s and to 15 older than 65, asking them to rate the pictures as emotionally negative, positive or neutral while their brains were monitored with functional M.R.I. After a break of 30 to 45 minutes, they were tested on their ability to recall the pictures. The report appears in the December issue of Psychological Science.
The M.R.I. results showed that older people were processing the negative pictures in different parts of the brain from the ones used by the younger people - regions used for rational thinking rather than feeling. On the memory test, while memory for neutral pictures was the same in young and old, older adults remembered fewer negative pictures.
That was not the result of declining mental ability, said Florin Dolcos, a co-author of the study and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Alberta in Canada. "In the emotion detection region of the brain, we saw similar activity in the old and young," he said. "Older people have preserved emotional reactivity, but they are better able to control those emotions, and this control influences their memory for negative information."
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/health/30perc.html?_r=1&ref=health
Published: December 29, 2008
Younger people, it appears, take a dimmer view of the past than their elders, and it might be because they process and retain memories differently.
Researchers showed 180 pictures to 15 people in their 20s and to 15 older than 65, asking them to rate the pictures as emotionally negative, positive or neutral while their brains were monitored with functional M.R.I. After a break of 30 to 45 minutes, they were tested on their ability to recall the pictures. The report appears in the December issue of Psychological Science.
The M.R.I. results showed that older people were processing the negative pictures in different parts of the brain from the ones used by the younger people - regions used for rational thinking rather than feeling. On the memory test, while memory for neutral pictures was the same in young and old, older adults remembered fewer negative pictures.
That was not the result of declining mental ability, said Florin Dolcos, a co-author of the study and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Alberta in Canada. "In the emotion detection region of the brain, we saw similar activity in the old and young," he said. "Older people have preserved emotional reactivity, but they are better able to control those emotions, and this control influences their memory for negative information."
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/health/30perc.html?_r=1&ref=health
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Article...Cookbook Medicine' Won't Do for Elderly
By JANE E. BRODY
Published: December 29, 2008
The Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York is like no medical clinic I've ever seen. It is brightly lighted and quiet - there is no television blasting. It has wide corridors and plenty of comfortable chairs with sturdy arms, and yet few people wait more than 10 minutes to see a doctor or nurse practitioner.
The center, which opened in 2007, was designed especially for primary care of older adults, many of whom have complex chronic medical problems like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension as well as debilitating conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis.
Just as a child is not a small adult and requires specialized care, adults over the age of, say, 65, are not just old adults and should not be treated like patients half their age.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/health/30brod.html?em
Published: December 29, 2008
The Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York is like no medical clinic I've ever seen. It is brightly lighted and quiet - there is no television blasting. It has wide corridors and plenty of comfortable chairs with sturdy arms, and yet few people wait more than 10 minutes to see a doctor or nurse practitioner.
The center, which opened in 2007, was designed especially for primary care of older adults, many of whom have complex chronic medical problems like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension as well as debilitating conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis.
Just as a child is not a small adult and requires specialized care, adults over the age of, say, 65, are not just old adults and should not be treated like patients half their age.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/health/30brod.html?em
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Article...Blood Sugar Control Linked to Memory Decline, Study Says
By RONI CARYN RABIN
Published: December 31, 2008
Spikes in blood sugar can take a toll on memory by affecting the dentate gyrus, an area of the brain within the hippocampus that helps form memories, a new study reports.
Researchers said the effects can be seen even when levels of blood sugar, or glucose, are only moderately elevated, a finding that may help explain normal age-related cognitive decline, since glucose regulation worsens with age.
The study, by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and funded in part by the National Institute on Aging, was published in the December issue of Annals of Neurology.
"If we conclude this is underlying normal age-related cognitive decline, then it affects all of us," said lead investigator Dr. Scott Small, associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center. The ability to regulate glucose starts deteriorating by the third or fourth decade of life, he added.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/health/31memory.html?em
Published: December 31, 2008
Spikes in blood sugar can take a toll on memory by affecting the dentate gyrus, an area of the brain within the hippocampus that helps form memories, a new study reports.
Researchers said the effects can be seen even when levels of blood sugar, or glucose, are only moderately elevated, a finding that may help explain normal age-related cognitive decline, since glucose regulation worsens with age.
The study, by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and funded in part by the National Institute on Aging, was published in the December issue of Annals of Neurology.
"If we conclude this is underlying normal age-related cognitive decline, then it affects all of us," said lead investigator Dr. Scott Small, associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center. The ability to regulate glucose starts deteriorating by the third or fourth decade of life, he added.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/health/31memory.html?em
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Article...New Model of Care is Needed, Experts Say
By JANE E. BRODY
Published: December 29, 2008
American medicine is already in a crisis mode when it comes to geriatric care, and the problem will only become worse unless new approaches are found, experts say.
"There's been a drastic decline in the number of geriatricians - and just 300 new ones are being trained each year - yet the number of people over 65 will double in the next 20 years," Dr. Atul Gawande, a surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and an associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in an interview. "Those who work in geriatric care are among the worst paid in the health care system. Is the time I spend as a surgeon excising a patient's cancer worth 10 times more than the time the primary care doctor spent finding the cancer in the first place?"
Dr. Gawande, who examined the problems of medical care for the aged last year in The New Yorker, pointed out that as we grow older, "we don't get one problem at a time."
"People with multiple problems need time, and that is not cheap and is currently not paid for by medical insurance," he said. "It's not possible to address five different problems in a 20-minute visit."
He and others see a pressing need for new approaches to keep aging patients as healthy as possible and living independently as long as possible. Dr. Chad Boult, a geriatrician at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore, says the goal should be care that is well coordinated, and patients and families who are involved in and educated about the care plan.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/health/30bbox.html?em
Published: December 29, 2008
American medicine is already in a crisis mode when it comes to geriatric care, and the problem will only become worse unless new approaches are found, experts say.
"There's been a drastic decline in the number of geriatricians - and just 300 new ones are being trained each year - yet the number of people over 65 will double in the next 20 years," Dr. Atul Gawande, a surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and an associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in an interview. "Those who work in geriatric care are among the worst paid in the health care system. Is the time I spend as a surgeon excising a patient's cancer worth 10 times more than the time the primary care doctor spent finding the cancer in the first place?"
Dr. Gawande, who examined the problems of medical care for the aged last year in The New Yorker, pointed out that as we grow older, "we don't get one problem at a time."
"People with multiple problems need time, and that is not cheap and is currently not paid for by medical insurance," he said. "It's not possible to address five different problems in a 20-minute visit."
He and others see a pressing need for new approaches to keep aging patients as healthy as possible and living independently as long as possible. Dr. Chad Boult, a geriatrician at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore, says the goal should be care that is well coordinated, and patients and families who are involved in and educated about the care plan.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/health/30bbox.html?em
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Article...Higher Co-Payments a Bar for Seniors Needing Mental Health Care
By RONI CARYN RABIN
Published: January 7, 2009
Seniors who were hospitalized for a psychiatric illness were less likely to get recommended follow-up care if their Medicare plans required that they pay more for mental health care than for other medical care, researchers have found.
"We have solid evidence that people who get appropriate care after leaving the hospital are less likely to be readmitted to the hospital and have better mental health outcomes," said Dr. Amal N. Trivedi, assistant professor of community health at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University and an author of the study.
"What our study found is that these co-payments act as a pretty potent barrier to getting appropriate care," he added.
The study, published recently in The Journal of the American Medical Association, reviewed the records of 43,892 Medicare beneficiaries who had been hospitalized for a mental illness between 2001 and 2006.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/health/08mental.html?_r=1&ref=health
Published: January 7, 2009
Seniors who were hospitalized for a psychiatric illness were less likely to get recommended follow-up care if their Medicare plans required that they pay more for mental health care than for other medical care, researchers have found.
"We have solid evidence that people who get appropriate care after leaving the hospital are less likely to be readmitted to the hospital and have better mental health outcomes," said Dr. Amal N. Trivedi, assistant professor of community health at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University and an author of the study.
"What our study found is that these co-payments act as a pretty potent barrier to getting appropriate care," he added.
The study, published recently in The Journal of the American Medical Association, reviewed the records of 43,892 Medicare beneficiaries who had been hospitalized for a mental illness between 2001 and 2006.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/health/08mental.html?_r=1&ref=health
