Common Contracts
1 similar Mental Health contracts
Mental Health and Family Medicine: between Scylla and CharybdisMental Health • October 9th, 2019
Background: Since 1999 the Romanian health insurance system shifts to a Bismarck model where primary care is provided by family medicine physicians, in private practices, under contract with local insurance houses. Family doctors are supposed to have a Gatekeeping role, ensuring that patients see specialists only for conditions that could not be managed at this level and are referred to an appropriate specialist. Aims: To explore the opinions of the family doctors on the interventions needed for a better management of the psychiatric cases. Method: A survey was conducted among 43 family doctors from Galati county (Romania). Results and Discussion: Despite a formal gatekeeping role, Romanian family doctors do not have a pivotal role in coordinating psychiatric care. Direct access to a specialist is possible for certain pathologies and there is evidence of overuse of ambulance services, hospital services and outpatient care setting bypassing primary care. Conclusion: Rather than focusing
