What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to understand primary care physicians' perspectives on barriers to accessing mental health care services.

January 1, 2009

Beyond Parity: Primary Care Physicians' Perspectives On Access To Mental Health Care

Key Points

This research aims to understand primary care physicians' perspectives on barriers to accessing mental health care services.
Survey conducted among primary care physicians regarding access to mental health services from 2004 to 2005.
Data analyzed to identify barriers such as provider shortages, health plan limitations, and inadequate coverage.
Approximately two-thirds of PCPs reported difficulties in obtaining outpatient mental health services.
Barriers varied significantly based on physician practice, health system, and influencing policy factors.
Implementing mental health parity may alleviate some but not all identified barriers.

Abstract

About two-thirds of primary care physicians (PCPs) reported in 2004-05 that they could not get outpatient mental health services for patients-a rate that was at least twice as high as that for other services. Shortages of mental health care providers, health plan barriers, and lack of coverage or inadequate coverage were all cited by PCPs as important barriers to mental health care access. The probability of having mental health access problems for patients varied by physician practice, health system, and policy factors. The results suggest that implementing mental health parity nationally will reduce some but not all of the barriers to mental health care.

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