Name
N11a - Optimizing Psychiatric Consultation in Primary Care: A Case-Based Guide to Choosing the Right Approach for Patient Needs
Date & Time
Saturday, October 18, 2025, 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Location Name
306A
Description

Effectively utilizing psychiatric consultation in primary care requires matching the right level of support to the needs of patients, providers, and populations. This session explores how different levels of psychiatric consultation—from brief curbside discussions to comprehensive evaluations—can enhance patient care and optimize mental health outcomes. Through real-world case examples, participants will gain practical insights into selecting the appropriate psychiatric consultative approach to address diverse clinical needs.

Speakers
Laura Sidari MD, National Medical Co-Director for Integrated Care (CFHA), Director for Cayuga Integrated Behavioral Health (CMA), Consulting Psychiatrist, Cayuga Medical Associates, Ithaca, NY
Co-Authors
Jennifer Thomas, MD -- National Medical Co-Director for Integrated Care, CFHA
Content Level
All Audience
Tags
Medical, Population and public health, Psychiatry, Team-based care
Session Type
Concurrent
SIG or Committee
Medicine
Objective 1
Differentiate Levels of Psychiatric Consultation in Primary Care - Describe various consultative approaches ranging from curbside discussions to direct psychiatric evaluations
Objective 2
Match Psychiatric Consultation to Clinical Needs – Apply case-based learning to determine the most appropriate psychiatric consultation approach for different primary care scenarios.
Objective 3
Leverage Psychiatric Consultation for Population-Based Mental Health Care – Understand how to efficiently utilize limited psychiatric resources to expand access to care across broad primary care populations.
Content Reference 1

Raney, L. E. (2015). Integrating primary care and behavioral health: the role of the psychiatrist in the collaborative care model. American Journal of Psychiatry, 172(8), 721-728.

Content Reference 2

Raney, L. E., Lasky, G. B., & Scott, C. (Eds.). (2017). Integrated care: A guide for effective implementation. American Psychiatric Pub

Content Reference 3

Bauer, A. M., Williams, M. D., Ratzliff, A., & Unützer, J. (2019). Best practices for systematic case review in collaborative care. Psychiatric Services, 70(11), 1064-1067.

Content Reference 4

Feinstein, R., Connelly, J., & Feinstein, M. (Eds.). (2017). Integrating behavioral health and primary care. Oxford University Press.