Psychiatric Times Vol 16 No 1

Although evidence shows that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants cause less orthostasis and interfere less with psychomotor function than do tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), a recent pharmacoepidemiologic study found them comparable in increasing elderly patients' risk for falling.

Hospital Food - Poetry of the Times

For decades, physicians have railed against the inequities of malpractice laws, lobbying for statutory changes that would insulate them from injustices, both real and perceived. In an ironic twist, extending tort liability has become the latest weapon against managed care companies and the medical directors who often make utilization review determinations. As a result, managed care companies are now rushing to embrace the once scorned external review and independent appeals processes in a last-ditch effort to stave off reforms requiring them to justify health care decisions in front of judges and juries.

As psychological and mental health issues increasingly take center stage in high profile criminal and civil proceedings, the ability to satiate inquiring minds often means trashing privacy and confidentiality at the altar of the public's right to know. Tyson isn't the only one whose psychological profile has been splayed out before an audience of billions in cyberspace.

When treating agitation in the elderly, the optimization of certain behavioral techniques may enhance medication therapies or sometimes eliminate the need for them. Clinicians should look more closely at the behavioral causes behind a demented older person's problem behavior.

Aware that there is a "rush to hold all providers delivering mental health and chemical dependency services accountable for the accessibility, quality and satisfaction of such services," the American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association (AMBHA) recently released the second version of its Performance Measures for Managed Behavioral Healthcare Programs (PERMS 2.0).