David Pogue recently reviewed 47 apps that can serve as a pill minder and information source and selected one that clearly outshone the others. But first, why is this important? This is some information from his article in Yahoo Finance… An estimated 187 million Americans (58%) are on at least one prescription drug. (Source: Network for Excellence in Health Innovation …
Efficacy or Effectiveness
What is the difference between efficacy and effectiveness? We tend to use these terms interchangeably in our posts on this site, but the two are different and the difference can be important. Efficacy refers to the power of a treatment to achieve a given outcome assuming that the patient is perfectly compliant and completes the treatment. Effectiveness addresses the more …
Neuroscience Based Nomenclature
Neuroscience Based Nomenclature is an initiative by a number of prestigious organizations supporting research in neuroscience and psychiatry to change the way that we talk about psychotropic / psychiatric medications. Why this might be useful is illustrated by conversations that are likely familiar to all psychiatrists… A severely depressed patient with bipolar 1 is discussing her need for a change …
We Are Not “In Network” Providers
Gateway Psychiatric Services is not an “in network” provider of care. Many of the patients we see get reimbursement for their care here, but this depends on the specific insurance plan and how it handles out-of-network claims. The most generous plans seem to be provided by larger “tech” companies which often have very generous out-of-network coverage. It is important to …
Google Hangouts Telepsychiatry Updated
We are no longer using Google Hangouts for Telepsychiatry. We have moved on to the business application which is called Hangouts Meet. Please see this article for more information.
Antidepressant Selection Based on Symptom Clusters
Can we do a better job of antidepressant selection based on symptom clusters, analyzed using machine learning techniques? Perhaps so. And if so we will avoid a great deal of unnecessary suffering as people try one medication after another until the find the right medication or combination of medications to treat their depression. That is the premise behind an ambitious …
Bipolar 101 An Online Course
Bipolar 101, an online course hosted by Gateway Psychiatric begins March 17, 2017: Bipolar 101 – The Basics and Beyond. The class is based on the acclaimed Barcelona Bipolar Disorders Program. Bipolar 101 – An online course will cover topics such as: It will be taught by Dr. Peter Forster and Gina Gregory, and will have an interactive format with plenty of …
Online Recovery Resources
Accessing Online Recovery Resources from Afar Recently I had a patient relocate to Spain who had been in recovery from alcohol for one year. She was very concerned about leaving her recovery community and was surprised to learn that she could continue to access support online from afar. Initially she was skeptical about accessing support online. However, after trying out …
TMS Effectiveness Updated
TMS effectiveness for depression is clear. But now there are more machines for providing TMS and more protocols. Is deep TMS better than regular TMS? Or is deep TMS just a marketing phrase? A major review article in JAMA Psychiatry updated our understanding of alternatives to the initial protocol for TMS. JAMA Psychiatry is the most prestigious journal in psychiatry, …
Measurement Based Care Controversies
Measurement based care often evokes controversies. A brilliant colleague, Carol Heckler, who is something of a local expert in psychopharmacology, interrupted a conversation I was having with another psychiatrist to say that she thought that standardized rating scales were useless. Echoing comments that I’ve heard from many of my patients, she said “how can you reduce human experience to a number?” This …