Topics: Practice Tools and Tips

Since I last wrote about MOC in 2010, the most relevant news has not been within the program itself, but in the increasingly rancorous reaction against its requirements from physicians of all specialties. Regardless, it doesn’t look like ABPN is going to be ditching MOC any time soon, so this article pretty much lays out what you have to do, without (much) editorializing.

The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology’s (ABPN) new Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process has created an uproar in many physician circles. It’s not the idea of proving competence that inflames strong emotions among physicians, it’s the manner in which MOC is being implemented.

Topics: Practice Tools and Tips

Get insight into how you can use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to help patients with depression who have failed to respond to therapy and antidepressants, in an interview with neuropsychiatrist Karl Lanocha, MD.

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Mood Stabilizers | Research Updates

Most of you would hesitate to put a patient with bipolar I on antidepressants without adding a mood stabilizer, in order to prevent a switch to mania. If this is your clinical practice, you are following the recommendations of the APA consensus guidelines for the treatment of bipolar depression. But the hard data to support the danger of switching is surprisingly weak.

Topics: Anxiety Disorder | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | Research Updates

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of anxiety disorders. But there’s not a lot of information about whether it improves patients’ quality of life (QoL), even though one would think improvement in QoL is inherent when anxiety is reduced.

Topics: News of Note | Sleep Disorders

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month approved Merck’s new insomnia drug, Belsomra, the first in a new class of hypnotics termed “orexin antagonists.” If you’ve never heard of orexin, put on your seat belts, because you’ll be getting a crash course from your local drug reps.

Topics: News of Note | Practice Tools and Tips

Like most psychiatrists, you are likely a bit wary of sharing your therapy notes with your patients. Will they be offended by reading painfully honest descriptions of their issues? Will they be confused by your use of psychiatric terminology?

Topics: News of Note | Practice Tools and Tips

In 2011, the federal government began offering financial rewards for providers to implement electronic health records (EHRs) in caring for their Medicare and Medicaid patients. For eligible doctors, these “meaningful use” incentives could provide you with extra income of up to $44,000 over five years in Medicare incentives and $63,750 in Medicaid incentives over six years.