Clinicians’ Experience with a Graduate Medical Education Implemented Child Psychiatry Access Program

Abstract

Objective

The authors aim to measure differences in primary care clinicians’ (PCC’s) perceptions of managing pediatric mental health before and after launch of a child psychiatry access program (the access program) and identify the impact of engaging trainees from child psychiatry, pediatrics, and family medicine in administration and use of this program.

Methods

Child psychiatry fellows provide coverage of a grant-funded state-wide access program and engage trainee-peers in learning how to use the program. A survey measuring PCC’s experience managing children’s mental health conditions was administered before and after the child psychiatry access program launched. Rotation evaluations collect trainee’s feedback.

Results

Statistically significant differences are identified before and after the program’s launch in PCC’s perception of access to child psychiatry (U = 294.5, p < 0.001) and between PCC’s perceptions of the impact of behavioral health problems in their patients in those with less than 4 years post-residency training compared with those with 4 or more years post-residency (U = 524.5, p < .01). Trainee evaluation of the rotation is consistently positive (average 5:6 rating).

Conclusion

The authors conclude that (1) the presence of a state-wide access program positively impacts PCC’s reported access to child psychiatry; (2) child psychiatry fellows rate the clinical rotation experience favorably; and (3) there appears to be an association between less time out of primary care residency training and perception of improved access to child psychiatry and less clinical burden from behavioral health issues. Further research is required to understand the impact of a training in this model.