The Consultation Project

Maine is a predominantly rural state, with a population of 1.2 million.  The majority of the state’s 300 psychiatrists are geographically concentrated in the lower quarter of the state, leaving family practitioners and other primary care providers throughout the state without ready access to psychiatric consultation. The Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians has addressed this problem with an innovative program called The Consultation Project. 
 
Developed by David Moltz, MD, DLFAPA in collaboration with MAPP and the Maine Academy of Family Physicians, and funded through a contract with DHHS, the program links volunteer psychiatrists with rural primary care practices. An ongoing consultative relationship is developed, in which the rural practitioner calls on the psychiatrist as needed for advice and guidance.  The contacts are by telephone or email, and are in the nature of “informal consultations” rather than treatment or supervision.  The primary care provider (PCP), as an independent practitioner, makes the treatment decisions, informed by the consultant’s input.
 
What is novel about the Consultation Project is the ongoing relationship between consultant and consultee, which allows them to develop a shared body of experience, as well as the opportunity to consult on cases over time. The project has been in operation since 2004, and currently has 25 consultants serving 54 practices, with capacity for more practices to join. We believe that the project has  had a substantial impact on the ability of primary care practitioners to provide quality psychiatric treatment across the state.

Download a Consultation Project brochure
 
For more information, or to join the project as a consultant or consultee, please contact:
 
Executive Director
Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians
207-622-7743
OR you may contact David Moltz, MD DLFAPA  dmoltz2@gmail.com

"Providing psychiatric consultation to primary care practices throughout the state of Maine."