Pharmacy May Offer Solution to Psychiatrist Shortage

Tera Moore, PharmD, National Program Manager, VA Pharmacy Benefits Management office, discusses the shortage of psychiatrists and how integration of mental health professionals could help solve the issue. This video was filmed at the 2019 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Summer Meetings & Exhibition in Boston.

Tera Moore, PharmD: We certainly know that mental health and substance use treatment is critical in medical care and there is a significant shortage of mental health prescribers—in particular psychiatrists, nationwide. It was estimated between 2003 to 2013 that there was a 10% decline in psychiatrists, and that’s estimated to go up to 25% by the year 2025. In 2017 there was a report that really highlighted 1 of the solutions of this psychiatric shortage is expanded integration of the psychiatric pharmacist provider into the mental health team, and not only increasing access, but safety and quality also.

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