Future of Health Care: Redux

As an intern with a major mental health organization, I have had the opportunity to attend some meetings and conferences concerning the future of health care as well.  What I have gotten out of these meetings, is that due to high co-morbidity of mental health problems and physical health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer (all of which contribute to the statistic that averagely, consumers die 25 years earlier than the typcial American), primary care doctors are going to have to start to learn how to actively listen to their patients, and work alongside mental health professionals in order to prevent these morbidity and mortality rates.  There is going to have to be an integration of physical health care and mental health care.  Finally, in an evidence-based health care conference, I learned that physicians are going to have to learn how to truly use evidence-bases in their work, because many are not currently doing so, and are not nearly as up to date as people like to think they are.  People put ultimate trust in their physicians, but their physicians may not be using "best practices" or thoroughly researching what they do from all angles.  This is a scarey thought.  The future of healthcare must change, and I am glad to see that the President of DBSA is going to such meetings, to lend the consumer voice.  Keep up the good work!  

I want a wellness coach.  When can I sign up? 

Your mention of SERMO is hopeful to us.  To imagine non-competitive collaboration on such a wide scale is new to me.  I will share this information with my group.  Thank you.

Katherine Lerer

 DBSA Palo Alto 

They started giving my son depakote last week. And it worked for 2 days and started to wear off around 3 oclock in the afternoon. So the dr said to give him 3 doses a day instead of 2. I was ok with this. Than she mentioned another drug at night time. So I went to the pharmacy to get the meds. And I found out it was valium. I was shocked. I was totally against this med. And the pharmacist was to. The dose was 1mg adult strength. And he siad that he called the dr back to see if there was a mistake. That he could of started on a much lower dose. And she said thats what she wanted, it was correct. Micah only weighs 42 pounds. I refused the med. I dont want a coma child. And the pharmacist was relieved. He agreed totally. SO now im questioning this dr. If you didnt watch pbs tv lastweek , there was a whole special on children with bipolar. And you can view it online. It was on last Tuesday. There were kids on there that died from overdose from there drs. From taking adult meds. I dont know what to do. I am at a total loss.  I dont want him to hear voices or be scared. But on the other hand, i want him to be Micah. Not a doped up version of who he is. I am scared for his future. And just want to find a dr that is going to help him. We live near Columbus Ohio. And I am willing to drive far to get the correct treatment for him. And know I can sleep at night, that the decisions are not questionable. If you have any insite please let me know. I am so worried. Thank you Holly