Incoming APA president urges psychiatrists: 'Claim our future'

TORONTO — Here at the Opening Ceremony of the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, incoming president Renee Binder, MD, outlined her plan for the future and announced the theme for next year: “Claiming our future.”

“As psychiatrists, we are the experts in mental health; we have the responsibly to ensure psychiatrists of the future continue to deliver high quality care to our patients and have professionally satisfying lives,” she said. “What type of practice will future psychiatrists have? How will we fit into new models of care? How will we integrate new research findings into our clinical practices? … We must claim our role or others will define our role for us.”

Renee Binder

Binder, who is professor in the department of psychiatry in the school of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, discussed the five areas in which she believes psychiatrists need to claim their roles:

1. In the provision of psychiatric care in the general health care system

“There is no health care without mental health care,” Binder said, and then asked the audience to repeat this sentiment back to her. “Every consumer, politician and health care provider should agree with that statement.”

Everyone should have access to affordable mental health care, she said, and discussed the need for enhanced telepsychiatry efforts and educational materials for physicians and members of government agencies.

2. In the care of people with serious mental illness and patients who are disenfranchised and marginalized

“We must work to end disparities in mental health care and ensure we serve the needs of diverse, under-represented and underserved patient populations,” she said.

This includes patients previously treated in psychiatric settings, those who never received proper care or those who are currently being treated in prisons and jails — a reality Binder referred to as a “national tragedy.” In April 2016, Binder plans to host a summit on the topic in conjunction with the APA and other organizations and political figures.

She also plans to take members of the APA committee to San Quentin State Prison next month.

“This will be a first step in our renewed effort to focus attention to the inappropriate criminalization of people with mental illness,” she said.

3. In advocacy and ethics

“The American Psychiatric Association is our voice in legislatures and the U.S. supreme court through amicus briefs when mental health issues are involved,” Binder said. She noted the advocacy role the APA plays will be particularly important in the upcoming presidential election.

Next year, the APA will examine its code of ethics “and ensure it’s up-to-date and continues to serve as a standard for practicing psychiatrists,” she said.

4. In setting quality criteria, and in education

The first meeting of the APA occurred in Philadelphia in 1844 when 13 superintendents of public and private hospitals convened to set standards for institutions to improve patient treatment, Binder said. Since then, the APA has continued to provide information to American and international communities through publications, annual meetings, workshops and webinars.

“APA needs to continue to be a source of reliable information on mental health issues for all media outlets and for the public,” she said.

5. In research and diagnosis

According to Binder, psychiatrists and the APA should continue to be responsible for the DSM and its revisions, as well as the creation of treatment guidelines.

“If we don’t take this on, others, such as government agencies, other professional organizations and insurance companies, will impose their standards on us,” she said.

“We must advocate for the future of our profession. We must never forget our obligations to serve the needs of our patients and our society. It is clear that we have our work cut out for us. … Let us look to the future and claim our roles in the care of our patients and enhancing mental health care of our society. I am proud to be a psychiatrist and to be the next leader of this organization. Let us begin; if not now, when?” – by Stacey L. Adams

Reference:

Binder R. Opening Ceremony. Presented at: American Psychiatric Association; May 16-20, 2015; Toronto.

Disclosure: Binder reports no relevant financial disclosures.