Psychiatry and the Primary Care Physician

The author discusses problems that have bindered active collaboration between psychiatrists and primary care physicians, presents models for clinical interaction between them, and describes the role of psychiatrists in the education of primary care physicians. He identifies the differing models of psychiatric and physical medicine as the source of the poor communication that has existed between the two specialties and advocates adherence to a biopsychosocial model as a means of fostering collaboration. He concludes that the psychiatrist can best serve as a teacher and consultant to the primary care physician and as a specialist dealing with serious mental and emotional problems that are beyond the skill of the primary care physician.