On its website and its “Talk of the Nation” program, NPR (10/23) reports, “The American Psychiatric Association defines a psychiatrist as a medical doctor who conducts psychotherapy and prescribes medications and other medical treatments. With recent developments in the pharmaceutical and insurance industries, the definition of the practice appears to be shifting.” Host Neal Conan discussed the changing role of psychiatry with Richard Friedman, MD, director, Psychopharmacology Clinic, Weill Cornell Medical College, and psychiatrist Steve Balt, editor-in-chief, The Carlat Psychiatry Report. One of the topics discussed was how, with the increased use of antidepressants in recent years, the “use of talk therapy” has declined, a trend driven by “market forces” and managed care.
Related Links:
— “Psychiatrists Shift Focus To Drugs, Not Talk Therapy,NPR, October 22, 2012.