Practice Makes Perfect

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PUBLISHER'S NOTE

“The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.”—William Osler, MD

Although most folks enter health care to help patients, clinicians also need to manage the “business” side of the profession. Over the years, we have heard from you, our readers, about practice-related frustrations and how they add to burnout.

The Special Report in this issue shares insights and support from your colleagues and experts in the field on tackling select challenges. For instance, Bruce Goderez, MD, sings the “Prior Authorization Blues” and shares his observations and hopes for making the system better. You will also read about setting up a collaborative care private practice as well as tips for strengthening patient rapport, discussing patient financial obligations, and the dos and don’ts of social media to support you, your practice, and your career.

As usual, this issue aims to support you and your patients across several psychiatric disorders and clinical conundrums. In the Bipolar Update, for example, David N. Osser, MD, discusses the challenges associated with selecting evidence-based treatment for acute bipolar II depression. Similarly, Brian Miller, MD, PhD, MPH, shares the latest research on the impact of caffeine and smoking in patients with serious mental illness. You can also earn continuing medical education credits via the article on Lewy body dementia.

From cover to cover, the March issue of Psychiatric Times™ is poised to give you the tools and information you need to be successful in patient care and practice issues for many years to come.

Mike Hennessy Jr

President and CEO, MJH Life Sciences®