DOES PSYCHIATRIC-CARE BY FAMILY PRACTITIONERS REDUCE THE COST OF GENERAL MEDICAL-CARE

This is the first "impact" type of economic study of psychiatric/counseling services from general practitioners. The paper analyzes a province-wide database that collates statistical data from all inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services as well as from private physicians. This paper asks whether psychiatric services from family physicians also reduce the overall costs of medical care. This research supports the general research findings that medical costs are lower after psychiatrists' care. ECT patients show a marked reduction in their medical costs. Patients with psychotherapy/counseling from family physicians did not show statistically significant reductions in overall medical costs. We need new classifications for the kinds of mental disorders seen in primary care settings. © 1990.