Primary Care Providers
In MHIP, the primary care provider works with a clinic-based care coordinator and a consulting psychiatrist. This team structure increases access to behavioral health expertise while keeping treatment connected to the patient's ongoing primary care.
The PCP role
- Identify and diagnose common behavioral health conditions
- Introduce the care coordinator and engage the patient in collaborative treatment
- Prescribe and adjust medication when appropriate
- Review concise recommendations from the consulting psychiatrist
- Coordinate medical and behavioral health goals
- Escalate or refer patients who need specialty care
What the care coordinator provides
The care coordinator completes structured assessment, maintains regular contact, measures symptoms over time, supports medication adherence and behavioral interventions, and brings patients who are not improving to systematic psychiatric review.
What the psychiatric consultant provides
The consulting psychiatrist reviews the caseload with the care coordinator, prioritizes complex or non-improving patients, and gives focused recommendations for diagnostic clarification and treatment. Most consultation is indirect, allowing one psychiatrist to support many primary care teams.