Clinical Psychiatry News articles from June 2003

Clinical Psychiatry News archives from June 2003

Schizophrenia, bipolar link found. (Disorders may Share Gene Complex).
June 1, 2003... Bipolar disorder may be associated with a gene complex that previously was associated with schizophrenia, results of a new genetic study show. The discovery marks the first time that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have been associated...

Medicare Among Americans' Top Health Priorities for the President and Congress. (Vital Signs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... VITAL SIGNS Medicare Among Americans' Top Health Priorities for the President and Congress Percent Saying Percent Saying "Very Important" "Most Important" * Helping...

Generalized SAD prevalence might surpass 6%: social anxiety disorder is tied to increased risk of dropping out of school. (Children and Adolescents).(social anxiety disorder)
June 1, 2003... TORONTO -- More than 6% of children and adolescents may have generalized social anxiety disorder and thus increased risks of depression, dropping out of school, and suicide. And the prevalence rate for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder...

Decreased use of Seclusion and Restraint encouraged; SAMFISA: only for safety interventions. (Draft Action Plan Offered).
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The use of seclusion and restraint should be viewed as an option of last resort for patients with mental illness or addictive disease, said Charles Curie, administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services...

Antidepressant treatment falls short in pregnancy. (Maternal Depression).
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- High scores on a depression rating scale showed that a significant proportion of women who were prescribed medication for depression during pregnancy were suboptimally treated, Dr. Irena Nulman reported at the annual meeting of...

Effects of domestic violence depend on which parent was perpetrator. (Peer Relationships Suffer).
June 1, 2003... TAMPA, FLA. - The effects of domestic violence manifest in children and adolescents differently depending on which parent is violent. A recent study has shown that, contrary to popular opinion, it is not always the father. "The majority of...

White coat hypertension may not be so benign. (Cardiovascular Disease Risk).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... PHOENIX, ARIZ. - Whitecoathpertension may not be a benign condition, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Serina A. Neumann, Ph.D., subjected 40 patients with white coat hypertension...

Medicaid mental health bears brunt of state cuts. (Oregon is case in Point).
June 1, 2003... As state budget officers try to figure out how to best squeeze blood from a stone, advocates worry that Medicaid mental health patients are increasingly falling victim to budget cuts. "I'm very alarmed about this," said Dr. Paul S....

Michigan-Vermont partnership seeks to cut drug costs. (Bid to Boost Buying Power).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Michigan and Vermont--two of the states pushing hardest to control Medicaid prescription drug costs--have announced a partnership to boost their buying power with pharmaceutical companies. Under the partnership, which is the first such...

Letters.
June 1, 2003... Assessing Religious Claims In his recent guest editorial, Dr. Ansar Haroun discussed the case of a defendant who said that God told him to cut the throat of a 10-year-old boy ("Delusions of Psychiatrists," April 2003, p. 14). ...

Fink! Still at large: surviving patient suicide. (Opinion).
June 1, 2003... One of the most painful experiences for a therapist is figuring out how to proceed when a patient commits suicide. Have you ever experienced this? How did you cope with the tragedy? How did that incident change the way in which you approach...

Don't skirt informed consent. (Guest Editorial).
June 1, 2003... The great split inpsychiatry between biologic and psychological treatments extends back centuries in the history of medicine. Because of this dichotomy, doctors and other healers have tended to offer patients one form of treatment or the other....

Drug abuse and pregnancy. (Guest Editorial).
June 1, 2003... In the late 1990s, an estimated 3% of pregnant women used illicit drugs in early gestation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pregnancy complications and poor fetal outcomes are common in these women. But drug abuse...

Addiction history and opioids. (Guest Editorial).
June 1, 2003... Do not use to offer chronic pain patients the opportunity for effective pain relief from opioids just because they have a history of addiction. Such patients deserve to experience the benefits of aggressive pain management- despite their...

Personality and depression. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The presence of an Axis II personality disorder in a patient with chronic major depression does not affect treatment response or remission, reported Dr. James M. Russell of the University of Texas at Galveston and his colleagues. In their...

Anxiety disorders in children. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Children with social phobia or generalized anxiety disorder responded clinically to fluoxetine, but those with social phobia were the only ones who had a significant functional response to fluoxetine, according to Dr. Boris Birmaher and his...

Premenstrual dysphoria. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Fluoxetine and an extract from the fruit of the Vitex agnus castus plant were equally effective in treating premenstrual dysphoric disorder, reported Dr. Murad Atmaca and his associates at Firat University in Elazig, Turkey. After 8 weeks...

Menopausal depression. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Citalopram alone or as an adjunctive treatment to estrogen therapy appeared to improve depression and vasomotor symptoms in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, reported Dr. Claudio N. Soares of Harvard Medical School, Boston, and his...

Sertraline: less postpartum depression recurrence. (Started Shortly after Delivery).
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Sertraline therapy started shortly after delivery was shown to be effective in preventing the recurrence of postpartum depression in women who were at increased risk, Dr. Katherine Wisner said at the annual meeting of the American...

Off-label uses of Topiramate gather supporting evidence. (Tourette's Syndrome, Binge-Eating Disorder).
June 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- Topiramate shows encouraging evidence of efficacy as off-label therapy for an eclectic array of disorders, according to studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. Among the novel but...

Mirtazapine lifts mood of older depressed patients. (Aged 85 or Older).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- Mirtazapine orally disintegrating tablets are a particularly attractive treatment option in depressed nursing home patients aged 85 and older, Dr. J. Craig Nelson said at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric...

Ziprasidone helps manage severe agitation. (Intramuscular Injections).
June 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- Rapid-acting intramuscular ziprasidone may offer significant advantages over conventional management of patients presenting to the psychiatric emergency service with acute severe agitation, Dr. Steven G. Klotz said at the...

Practical psychopharmacology.
June 1, 2003... Treating Comorbid Bipolar Disorder and ADHD Some clinicians have questioned the high reported rates of comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in bipolar adults, but when it comes to preadolescents, there is "not much...

Transdermal MAO inhibitor patch effective for ADHD. (No Dietary Restrictions).(monoamine oxidase)
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- A transdermal patch containing the selective monoamine oxidase inhibitor selegiline applied daily appeared effective and well tolerated in a pilot study of children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder,...

Focus drugs on Adolescent paraphilia symptoms. (Antiandrogens, SSRIS Appear to Help).
June 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Medication targeted to specific symptoms can be effective in treating juvenile sex offenders with paraphilias, but it should only be used in the context of psychosocial treatment, Dr. Fabian Saleh reported at the annual meeting of...

Risperidone may prevent falls in dementia patients. (Decreased Wandering).
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Risperidone in a dosage of 1 mg/day seems to decrease the risk of falling in ambulatory demented patients, Dr. Ira R. Katz reported at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. This effect is...

Start cholinesterase inhibitor immediately after Alzheimer's Dx. (Improves Cognitive Function).
June 1, 2003... BALTIMORE -- Treatment with a cholinesterase inhibitor should start as soon as a patient is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and be continued for life, Dr. Adam Rosenblatt said at a meeting on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias sponsored...

High-dose quetiapine appears safe, effective in older patients. (Retrospective Chart Review).
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Elderly patients with dementia seem to do well on quetiapine in dosages greater than the 200 mg/day maximum recommended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Franco Sicuro said in a poster presentation at the annual...

Screen for cognitive decline at all stages of HIV. (Impairment may Predict Mortality).
June 1, 2003... MIAMI -- A critical aspect of managing a patient with HIV infection is to actively screen for central nervous system dysfunction--including early, subclinical signs--at all stages of the disease, Dr. Karl Goodkin said at a meeting sponsored by...

Use Rigor in screening patients for alcoholic liver disease. (Length of Abstinence is Key).
June 1, 2003... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Patients with alcoholic liver disease are good candidates for liver transplants if they are screened using rigorous criteria, Dr. Terry D. Schneekloth said at the annual meeting of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. ...

Hospital disaster plans must indude a strong mental health component. (Lessons from Sept. 11).
June 1, 2003... On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Dr. Fuad Issa strolled through his neighborhood in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., with his wife. Their placid mood was shattered when they returned home to find a frantic message on the answering...

Knowledge dismal on terrorism. (Psychiatry or Politics?).
June 1, 2003... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. - As the nation flickered orange on the State Department's color-coded terror alert scale in early April, forensic psychiatrists and a medical anthropologist struggled to define terrorism within a psychiatric context. ...

'Truth serum' interviews yield mixed memories. (True and False Stories Surface).
June 1, 2003... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Administering so-called truth serums to terrorism suspects may produce false as well as true memories, based on a videotape that was presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Forensic Psychiatry. ...

Child's surgery puts mom at risk for PTSD. (Bone Marrow Transplants).
June 1, 2003... BALTIMORE -- The mothers of children who undergo bone marrow transplant are at increased risk for at least some of the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, Sharon L. Manne, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the International Society...

Psychological screening urged for surrogate moms. (Guidelines Needed).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- A program for surrogate pregnancies rejected 2 of 20 women applying to be surrogates after psychological evaluations detected moderate-level personality difficulties, Gary S. Bruss, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of...

Routinely monitor fatigue in Ca patients. (Updated Guidelines).
June 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. - Fatigue should be evaluated as a vital sign at every encounter with cancer patients, according to updated treatment guidelines issued at the annual conference of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Many studies...

Tetrathiomolybdate promising for initial Tx of Wilson's disease. (Prevents Neurologic Deterioration).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... BALTIMORE - Preliminary data suggest that tetrathiomolybdate is a good option for initial treatment of neurologic symptoms of Wilson's disease, Dr. George Brewer said at the Clinical Research 2003 National Meeting sponsored by the American...

Chiropractic for back pain. (Alternative Medicine).
June 1, 2003... * Many patients with back pain experience at least short-term benefits with chiropractic treatments. * A very small but real risk of injury exists with cervical spinal adjustment. History of Use Spinal manipulation has been used...

Partial seizures double risk of sleep disturbances. (Consider in Diagnosis, Management).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Patients with partial seizures are twice as likely to have sleep disturbance as age- and gender-matched controls, Dr. Sanne de Haas reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. The study involved 486...

Sleep-Disordered Breathing a risk with opicid Tx. (Screen and Monitor).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Patients receiving long-term, long-acting opioids should be screened and monitored for sleep-disordered breathing, findings from a recent case report suggest. Dr. Robert J. Farney and his associates at LDS Hospital, in Salt Lake City,...

Fluoxetine, CBT, or both may reduce Anxiety. (Multicenter, Randomized Trial).
June 1, 2003... RENO, NEV. -- A multicenter, randomized trial of fluoxetine and comprehensive cognitive-behavioral therapy showed that both treatments as well as their combination proved to be more effective than placebo in reducing the symptoms of generalized...

Study questions DSM-IV hierarchy for depression and anxiety disorder. (Exclusion Critierion Unnecessary).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Patients whose generalized anxiety disorder occurs only during a depressive episode do not differ significantly from those who do meet the DSM-IV criteria for GAD, calling into question the validity of the hierarchical relationship between mood...

Moderate drinking linked with later onset of GAD. (Chronology Remains Unclear).
June 1, 2003... TORONTO -- Moderate drinking among older adults with generalized anxiety disorder might be related to a later age of onset, but the chronology of the two events is unclear, Jan Mohlman, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the Anxiety...

Seizure Rx topiramate shown safe for preventing migraines. (Two Randomized Trials).
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU - Topiramate, previously approved as an adjunctive therapy for a variety of seizure types, appears to be safe and effective in the prevention of migraine headaches, according to two studies presented at the annual meeting of the...

Eletriptan beat sumatriptan on short-term measures of migraines. (Randomized, Controlled Trial).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU - Eletriptan 40 mgwas more effective than sumatriptan 100 mg on several measures of migraine control in a large randomized trial, Dr. Ninan T. Mathew reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology The study...

'Sinus' headache is probably a migraine. (Sumatriptan Effective).
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU - The overwhelming majority of "sinus" headaches are actually migraine headaches, according to a large clinical trial reported by Dr. Curtis P. Schreiber at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. The 3,038...

Triptan use not tied to heart attack, stroke, or mortality risk. (Large Cohort Study).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU - Theuseottnptans is not associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, or overall mortality, according to a study of 130,411 migraineurs and an equal number of age-, sex-, and health plan-matched nonmigraineurs,...

Novelty seeking tied to lower Alzheimer's risk. (Depends on APO E Allele).
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- People who engage in novelty-seeking behavior or activities that involve the integration of ideas appear to have a decreased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Thomas Fritsch, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the...

NSAIDs may protect against Alzheimer's. (Long-term use Key).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Nonaspirin NSAID use appears to protect against the development of Alzheimer's disease, with long-term users receiving the greatest benefit, Mahyar Etminan, Pharm.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology...

Some teens prone to hopelessness depression. (Pessimism, low Self-Esteem).
June 1, 2003... TAMPA, FLA. -- Vulnerable adolescents with low self-esteem and a negative view of their lives are at risk for developing hopelessness depression, John Abela, Ph.D., reported at a meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development. ...

Maternal pessimism may raise girls' depression chances. (Interactions with Sons more Positive).
June 1, 2003... TAMPA, FLA. -- Maternal behavior might contribute to girls' heightened risk for depression, according to the results of a new study. The study, which investigated maternal characteristics and child helplessness as risk factors for...

Maltreated girls become troubled mothers. (Conduct Disorder, Early Pregnancy).
June 1, 2003... TAMPA, FLA. -- Violence begets violence across generations, according to observational studies that have followed girls who exhibited aggressive behavior when young. Several such studies were presented at a meeting of the Society for Research...

Families sway kids' adherence to asthma Rx. (Stress has Major Impact).
June 1, 2003... KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- Asthma manages asthma sufferers and their families, and not the other way around, Dr. Frederick S. Wamboldt said at a meeting sponsored by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. Because of that, family processes...

Many self-inflicted injuries are suicide attempts. (Teen Girls at most Risk).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... SANTA FE, N.M. -- More than 289,000 nonfatal self-inflicted injuries are treated in the nation's emergency departments annually, with the highest rates occurring in teenage girls, Dr. Robin M. Ikeda reported at the annual conference of the...

Post--Sept. 11 coping styles differ for kids, parents. (Children Prefer Doing Things).
June 1, 2003... Observations of how children and parents deal with traumatic events have emerged from the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Some of these insights were presented during a teleconference that was sponsored by the Society for Research in Child...

Study of bipolar Amish raises contradictions. (Childhood Symptoms not Constant).
June 1, 2003... MIAMI BEACH -- Bipolar disorder in Amish children may manifest without hypersexuality or disruptive disorders, prospective data from a long-term study suggest. "We also found the prodromal symptoms follow an episodic pattern in these...

Children with rheumatic conditions often have poor quality of life. (Fibromyalgia Especially Dismal).
June 1, 2003... SALT LAKE CITY -- Children with fibromyalgia scored particularly low on quality of life measures in a survey of 326 pediatric patients with a variety of rheumatic conditions, Tasha M. Burwinkle said at the annual meeting of the Society of...

Pediatric visits may hinge on mothers' mental health. (Abdominal Pain in Children).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- The mother's psychological symptoms, and not the child's, influence whether the child is brought to the physician for abdominal pain, Rona L. Levy Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society....

GAD, OCD require long-term approaches. (Patients with Axis II Disorders).(generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... TORONTO -- Long-term therapy is more effective for treating certain anxiety disorders, while short-term therapy works best for panic disorder and uncomplicated depression, Paul Crits-Christoph, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the...

Study: effects of CBT are lasting in Psychosomatics. (2-Year Follow-Up).(cognitive-behavioral therapy)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... PHOENTX, ARIZ. -- The effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosomatic disorders remain stable for at least 2 years, according to a follow-up study of 229 inpatients. The study was reported in a poster presentation by Dr. Rolf...

Urge social phobia patients to broaden circle of friends. (Interpersonal Relationships are Key).
June 1, 2003... Toronto -- Cognitive-behavioral therapy has done a poor job of addressing interpersonal relationships in the treatment of social anxiety disorder, John Walker, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the Anxiety Disorders Association of...

Social skills training aids functioning of troubled Adolescents. (Use Learning-Based CBT).
June 1, 2003... New YORK -- Social skills deficits are common among adolescents, particularly those with psychiatric problems, and re-mediation can be a "very helpful" intervention, Dr. Allen Fay said at the annual meeting of the American Society for...

Brief CBT may improve somatoform disorder. (Cuts Health Care Use).
June 1, 2003... SALT LAKE CITY -- A single session of cognitive-behavioral therapy proved effective in reducing health care utilization among a group of patients with medically unexplained symptoms, Alexandra Nanke, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the...

Reel life. (American Beauty).
June 1, 2003... Most critics and filmgoers saw "American Beauty" as a black-comic, ironic caricature of dysfunctional suburbia that culminates in a weirdo looking at a dead guy, and (apparently) enjoying it. Even at that level, the film was a critical and...

Migraine medicine available. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Relpax (eletriptan HBr) is available for the acute treatment of migraine. The drug is available in 20- and 40-mg tablets. The maximal recommended single dose is 40 mg, and the daily dosage should not exceed 80 mg. It should not be given to...

Disintegrating schizophrenia Rx. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Risperdal (risperidone) is now available in an orally disintegrating dosage form. The drug is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia. The tablets are available in 0.5-mg, 1-mg, and 2-mg strengths. For more information, contact Janssen...

Bioterrorism resource. (Products).
June 1, 2003... A bioterrorism reference center is available for subscribers to PDxMD, Elsevier's evidence-based electronic primary care information service. The bioterrorism reference center includes diagnosis and treatment information related to the Centers...

Heavyweight charting paper. (Products).
June 1, 2003... New heavyweight charting paper comes with predrilled binder holes and are designed to prevent fewer jams and misfeeds in copiers and printers. The 8.5" x 11" sheets have a reinforced edge and are available in 24 or 28 lb. For more information,...

Restraint/Seclusion reduction. (FYI).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... "Learning From Each Other: Success Stories and Ideas for Reducing Restraint/Seclusion in Behavioral Health" is a compendium of strategies aimed at reducing the need to restrain and seclude patients. The 42-page booklet is for direct care...

Bioterrorism Drug information. (FYI).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Information on bioterrorism-related drugs is available at the "Drug Preparedness and Response to Bioterrorism" Web site, maintained by the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. The site provides links to...

Hispanic health helpline. (FYI).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created a national Hispanic family health helpline, "Su Familia," to provide information about preventing and managing chronic conditions. The bilingual service refers callers to local health...

Guide helps manage medicines. (FYI).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The U.S. Pharmacopeia released a brochure to educate consumers about how to safely use prescription and over-the-counter medications. "Think It Through: A Guide to Managing the Benefits and Risks of Medicines" focuses on five steps: talk, know,...

Control Chronic Conditions. (FYI).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... "Five Steps for Success: How Patients Can Manage Their Chronic Condition" is a brochure for patients that outlines how they can improve their success in managing chronic illnesses. It is based on the results of a survey sponsored by...

Empathy deficit in physicians starts in undergraduate years. (Compared with other Professions).
June 1, 2003... SALT LAKE CITY -- Undergraduate students planning medical careers show significantly less empathy than those planning to enter other professions, J. Kenneth Arnette, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine....

Countertransference can help sharpen forensic examinations. (Subjective Feelings Improve Assessments).
June 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- The use of countertransference--though mainly associated with psychotherapeutic relationships--can also be helpful to the forensic psychiatrist, Dr. David Glaser said at the annual meeting of the American College of Forensic...

Adolescents' right to refuse treatment hinges on state laws. (Consult Counsel).
June 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- An adolescent's right to refuse treatment is not just a matter of age and competence. The risks and benefits of the specific intervention involved, and the laws of the particular jurisdiction also must be taken into account,...

Medical council tackles language barrier issues. (Strategies for Interpretation, Translation).
June 1, 2003... Results from a survey of leading physician organizations, medical groups, and other health care associations in California suggest that nearly half (48%) of the 293 respondents knew of an instance in which a patient's limited English...

Patients' poor literacy can Jeopardize Tx, create anxiety. (Experts Urge 'Plain Language').
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON - Two-thirds of all physicians are unaware of the fact that there's a health literacy problem in the United States, Dr. Joseph Riggs said at a press conference on health literacy sponsored by the American Medical Association. ...

Use risk management to avoid losing lawsuits. (Don't Underestimate value of an Apology).
June 1, 2003... VAIL, CoLo. - "Whom have you talked to about this case?" is one of several questions doctors may be asked in depositions for a malpractice case, said Susan West, RN., director of risk management at the University of Colorado Health Sciences...

U.S. parents are sacrificing custody for care. (GAO Report).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Thousands of U.S. families have been forced to choose between obtaining mental health services and relinquishing custody of their children with mental or emotional disorders, according to a new report by the General Accounting Office. The...

Including parents in 'split alliance' with teens is prudent strategy. (Malpractice Risk Management).
June 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- For psychiatrists who work with adolescents, malpractice risk management requires taking measures aimed at maintaining amicable relations with the parents as well as the patient and attention to complex confidentiality issues, Dr....

Adolescents' due process protection is limited. (Involuntary Psychiatric Hospitalization).
June 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Minors generally have some, but not all, of the due process protections that are afforded adults in terms of psychiatric hospitalization, and those protections vary widely from state to state, Dr. Donald Reeves said at the annual...

Take steps to avoid liability during disaster outreach. (Risk Management).
June 1, 2003... CRYSTAL CITY, VA. -- A good bedside manner can go a long way particularly after a disaster; psychiatrists who are nice to patients rarely have complaints or malpractice claims lodged against them, Charles D. Cash said at an international...

Confidentiality, double agency complicate Tx of adolescents. (Knowing the Law is not enough).
June 1, 2003... NEW YORK - Ethical issues such as confidentiality and double agency are likely to be pressing and complex for psychiatrists treating adolescent patients, speakers said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry. ...