How Do You Procur Your Psychiatrist?

Another thread has prompted me to enquire about this

How do/did you end up with your psychiatrist? Did you get to choose or participate in the referral process? What happens when that doctor/patient relationship fails?

In Saskatchewan, and most provinces of Canada, one can ONLY obtain psychiatric care on the referral of a family doctor. While your doctor does their best to match you up with a psychiatrist (maybe you need a specialist, maybe you have difficulty with men), you are generally put on a waiting list with everyone else. Mostly though it is a question of first on the list is next served.

One must have a pretty good reason to switch pdocs - and it can only be done via your family doctor. It means going back to the bottom of the list and again you get who you get.

I've talked this over with others in my support group. Some took 3+ years to finally get a pdoc they are comfortable with.

I got her through a referral from my family doctor. She chose to refer me to this particular psychiatrist because she felt we would get along. My doctor actually knew her and had other patients who liked this particular psychiatrist.

My first pdoc, I walked into the clinic which adjusted the billing on a sliding scale based on the poverty level, I qualified for 100% help. This lasted a few years until Obamacare forced us to have insurance which was a HMO, so I got referred to another pdoc who turned out to be a real *****, so I went back to my other pdoc that happen to take the same insurance. I almost got on a PPO, but it was easier to just stay on the HMO. Besides, I just got to go to a pdoc and they'll just request a referral from my doctor, no biggy.

I just call around till I can see one right away and that accepts my insurance, then I go. Pdocs are just med dispensers anyways.

i was taken to a pshyc ward after a psychotic episode and ended up with the doctor in the hospital at the time. after getting out i saw a outpatient doc related to the hospital.

I met my pdoc during a hospital stay and continued to see him after I got out. He's been fantastic. Unfortunately due to a forced change in insurance I looking at having to see someone different. I'm not looking forward to the change.

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QUOTE=AlwaysChanging2;4755175]My first pdoc, I walked into the clinic which adjusted the billing on a sliding scale based on the poverty level, I qualified for 100% help. This lasted a few years until Obamacare forced us to have insurance which was a HMO, so I got referred to another pdoc who turned out to be a real *****, so I went back to my other pdoc that happen to take the same insurance.but it was easier to just stay on the HMO. Besides, I just got to go to a pdoc and they'll just request a referral from my doctor, no biggy.
I just call around till I can see one right away and that accepts my insurance, then I go. Pdocs are just med dispensers anyways.[/quote] .

But You deserve so much more..
Psychiatrist do/should do more than dispense pills.

Therapy with a Psychologist & your Psychiatrist should work together. There are some Psychiatrists that do both just ask.
And ask for referral to see physiologist.

Dear AlwaysChanging2,

You got really lucky/ or someone above is on Your side for sure/ Good Karma! Below is my advice.

Congratulations, the courage YOU took making that phone call standing up for Yourself after a terrible experience.

" This lasted a few years until Obamacare forced us to have insurance which was a HMO ,so I got referred
to another pdoc who turned out to be a real *****, so I went back to my other pdoc that happen to take the same insurance." ( see that worked out!. )

( Now you can have more coverage than before. )

However I would apply for Obama Care HMO because it will give you so much more in health benefits physical /mentally and in other areas such as housing if you rent they will pay for part of. Help with utilities Universal Service Fund, and because of your low income & your health, you qualify for transportation. NO fee ride to doctors..physical rehabilitation, your medical place pharmacy and back home. In my state its called logistics maybe under a different name in your state. If you have a car & drive they will help with your insurance, I have it and its very good coverage. If you have a home there is help. just ask me. There are benefits for you! Which will reduce some of the anxiety and stress.
You will start to feel better.
If you picked your your health package from Obama care, you can always change it. The affordable care act is termed Obama care. Your HMO is your package.
Just make sure your doctor takes it, that's what I did.
__________________
Happiedasiy,
Selfworth growing in my garden

My pdoc was treating my seven year old son and I liked the way he worked and when I was in the market for a pdoc for myself he was the natural choice. At this point he has known my son and me (and now-deceased BF) for twenty years. He is a good physician and I appreciate all he has done for my family.

I am quite fortunate.

I have two psychiatrists. One I am doing Cognative Behaviour Therapy (CBT) with.

I have two on call counsellors that make housecalls. These are hold overs from my days as an outpatient after discharge from the hospital. But the service has not yet been recalled as I've been in crisis for several weeks. I don't know what I would do without them as my anxiety has been really bad. They have taken me grocery shopping and 'forced' me out in public to go for coffee, etc.

The only way I've ever seen a p-doc (I've seen about 35 of them in my life) was by assignment. I got the doctor who had appointments available. Never mind ever being able to 'interview' a p-doc to see how the fit was.

I don't have one, nor need one but...
what others have said is true...

you can retain one after a hospital stay and often this is a requirement before release, that if you need to be on medication, they line you up with a Pdoc to provide the consults and scripts. Many psychologists have someone they refer their patients too, if they think medication might assist in the therapy process. Some psychologists in the USA have limited prescribing rights too. Your regular MD has a list of Pdocs to refer to, but often that's strictly out of the book type listing with little feedback, imo.

You can check your health insurance providers listing of Medical Doctors-Psychiatry.
In the USA you can check here: http://finder.psychiatry.org/

Personally, I am glad they are "shrinking" breed of doctor. And also IMO they had no business trying to perform talk therapy in the first place. So many were Freud-like in that they let the patient ramble and then they jumped to conclusions and shoved medication... (No, I don't like psychiatrists and have only known 3 in my lifetime that were really great doctors!) BUT if your regular MD doesn't want to handle regular medications for depression, anxiety and the like, you need a psychiatrist.

good wishes

I keep getting switched with doctors. New ones come and leave all the time at the center I go to. I started out with a Pdoc after a hospital stay because it was mandated so I get my pills. That was an awful experience, because I was a complete ZOMBIE.

Fate intervened and I was absolutely BLESSED with an AMAZING doctor after I went into outpatient. He was both a PHD and an MD so he went to school a longggg time. He even taught at university back in Russia where he was from. He saw everything I was on and told me, ok, we are going to throw ALL this out and find something that works. So with guidance I finally found myself again and got a good combination of meds that have been working well ever since.

He was a godsend, and I can only thank divine intervention for him.

im in the UK so it works differently here.
im a service user under the social services intelectual disability team and i see their pyschiatrist,i havent seen their pyschologist in years though.i HATE the pyschiatrist she doesnt like me and rushes me,i have a habit of saying im ok if at that very moment im feeling ok instead of saying the truth that im severely depressed,pyschotic and my meds arent working,she then gets really negative when she asks support staff how im doing and they tell her the truth because i had told her i was 'ok'.

im not allowed to see NHS pyschologists/pyschiatrists as the GP always says i have to go through the intelectual disability team,but recently i thought screw them-i self refered myself online to NHS councilors and im waiting for an answer off them.
ive also made a appointment with my usual gp tomorow/sunday to see if he will 'up' my anti depressant because the pyschiatrist is refusing to.

A friend told me about a t specializing in DID and trauma. So i emailed her, and she said, want to come see me tomorrow? And that was that.

Hey JD, thank so much for posting that link. It led me to the possibility of some help.