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Published Online: 8 June 2023

Availability of Outpatient Child Psychiatric Care During COVID-19: A Simulated-Patient Study in Three U.S. Cities

Victoria Chen, B.S., B.A., Christina Aldrich Barrera, M.D., Katelyn Golden, B.S.A., Caitlin Perez-Stable, B.A., Rudy Lozano Carreon, M.D., and J. Wesley Boyd, M.D., Ph.D. [email protected]Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric Services
Volume 74, Number 12
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.20220623
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Abstract

Objective:

In this study, the authors sought to ascertain the availability of outpatient child psychiatric appointments in three U.S. cities.

Methods:

Using a simulated-patient methodology, investigators called 322 psychiatrists who were listed in a major insurer’s database for three U.S. cities, and they attempted to make appointments for a child with three payment types: Blue Cross–Blue Shield, Medicaid, and self-pay.

Results:

Initial appointments were available 11% of the time, and it was most difficult to obtain an appointment under Medicaid coverage. Nineteen percent of phone numbers were wrong, and 25% of psychiatrists were not accepting new patients.

Conclusions:

These results are concerning given the current mental health crisis among youths and suggest the need for more psychiatrists, higher reimbursement rates for psychiatric services, and continued efforts to increase access to care. This study also highlights the need for insurance companies to maintain accurate information in their databases.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Volume 74 • Number 12 • December 01, 2023
Pages: 1277 - 1280
PubMed: 37287227

History

Received: 11 December 2022
Revision received: 20 February 2023
Accepted: 21 April 2023
Published online: 8 June 2023
Published in print: December 01, 2023

Keywords

  1. Adolescents/adolescence
  2. Child psychiatry/general
  3. Outpatient treatment
  4. Access to care

Authors

Details

Victoria Chen, B.S., B.A.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Chen, Golden, Perez-Stable); Department of Psychiatry (Barrera, Carreon, Boyd) and Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy (Boyd), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.
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Christina Aldrich Barrera, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Chen, Golden, Perez-Stable); Department of Psychiatry (Barrera, Carreon, Boyd) and Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy (Boyd), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.
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Katelyn Golden, B.S.A.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Chen, Golden, Perez-Stable); Department of Psychiatry (Barrera, Carreon, Boyd) and Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy (Boyd), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.
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Caitlin Perez-Stable, B.A.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Chen, Golden, Perez-Stable); Department of Psychiatry (Barrera, Carreon, Boyd) and Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy (Boyd), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.
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Rudy Lozano Carreon, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Chen, Golden, Perez-Stable); Department of Psychiatry (Barrera, Carreon, Boyd) and Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy (Boyd), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.
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J. Wesley Boyd, M.D., Ph.D. [email protected]
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Chen, Golden, Perez-Stable); Department of Psychiatry (Barrera, Carreon, Boyd) and Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy (Boyd), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.
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Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Boyd ([email protected]).

Competing Interests

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

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