Integrated Primary Care Before it Had a Name

Kathryn (Kathy) Dardeck worked as a behavioral health provider in a group medical practice for many years seeing all types of situations from emergent to chronic, pediatric to geriatric. She developed strong working relationships with several of the physicians in the practice, one of whom invited her to see patients with him as a team. Many of the patients who are seen in primary care practices have behavioral health disorders such as anxiety and depression that influence or even masquerade as physical disorders. By a physician and behavioral health clinician teaming up and seeing the patient together, it allows for a more wholistic approach, treating the whole person. Kathryn Dardeck believes that it can also reduce the stigma that some patients feel when a doctor tells them they cannot find anything physically wrong with them and recommends the patient go to a therapist. If the patient is jointly seen by doctor and behavioral health provider, the latter can hear the stress the patient is under and gently ask the patient if they’d perhaps like to chat more with them about ideas to reduce the stress. Physicians generally only have about 10–15 minutes to see patients, while behavioral health providers often have 45–60 minutes, allowing them more time to listen, diagnose and treat. As well, Kathryn (Kathy) Dardeck observed that non-compliance with medical directives often needs a psychological helping hand to aid the patient to become compliant with treatment.