Am J Psychiatry 1988; 145:723-727
Copyright © 1988 by American Psychiatric Association
How to survive in the private practice of psychiatry
SS Sharfstein and A Beigel
Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21285.
The private practice of psychiatry is being transformed by the new
economics of medical care. Patients are paying more out-of-pocket for
necessary care (demand-side cost sharing), and health care providers are
being asked to assume part of the risk of treatment through prospective
payment (supply-side cost sharing). Specific survival strategies for
psychiatrists in private practice include development of a balanced
practice, expansion of referral networks, participation in alternative
delivery systems such as health maintenance organizations and preferred
provider organizations, active involvement in utilization and claims
review, participation in outcome studies, and expansion of patient care
advocacy and community involvement.
