Preventive Medical Care in Psychiatry: A Practical Guide for Clinicians

Preventive Medical Care in Psychiatry: A Practical Guide for Clinicians was
written for psychiatrists in training and in clinical practice, as well as other
health care providers who wish to learn an evidence-based and user-friendly
approach to prevent commonly encountered, treatable, and potentially deadly
illnesses in their patients. The poor health and early mortality of people with
serious mental illnesses has been well documented: People who have serious
mental illness have increased general medical comorbid conditions, receive
minimal preventive medical services, and have a reduced life span of as much as
thirty years when compared to the general population. In addition, there is now
extensive data showing bidirectional interactions between chronic medical
illnesses and mental disorders. Clearly, treating the whole person, instead of
the disorder in isolation, is critical to improving outcomes and reducing
suffering.

The book's logical structure makes it easy to use, with
sections devoted to general principles of preventive psychiatry, cardiovascular
and pulmonary disorders, endocrine and metabolic disorders, infections
disorders, and oncologic disorders. In addition, the volume: Provides
evidence-based approaches to care across the prevention spectrum, from primary
prevention (how to keep people healthy), to secondary prevention (how to detect
early signs of common illnesses), through tertiary prevention (how to prevent
disability and adverse outcomes once patients develop medical problems).
Informs clinicians about how to more effectively interface with general medical
practitioners, and instructs them in providing screening for common medical
problems, as well as ensuring that preventive measures, such as vaccinations,
are performed. Covers, in a section addressing "special topics," child,
adolescent, and geriatric populations, as well as strategies for assessing and
managing chronic pain. Concludes with an appendix that features a health
questionnaire, Preventive Medicine in Psychiatry (PMAP), for use in screening
and follow-up, and a handy summary of age based preventive medicine
recommendations, references to which clinicians will return repeatedly.

The Affordable Care Act has provided mental health practitioners with new
opportunities to develop integrated models of care that better serve patients
and populations, furthering the existing trend of treating the whole patient.
Preventive Medical Care in Psychiatry: A Practical Guide for Clinicians is a
critical resource which will prove indispensable to clinicians dedicated to
improving the quality of life and longevity for patients who suffer from serious
mental illness. Twenty-five percent of royalties help support Resident-Fellow
Members (RFM) within the California Psychiatric Association.