Earlier this year, MAPP partnered with the Maine Medical Association, the Maine Osteopathic Association, and several other medical societies and healthcare organizations to address the growing trend of scope of practice expansion. We collectively formed the Partnership for Expert Care and are jointly leading a communication campaign to help educate Maine people about this important topic.
It is with great pleasure that we announce the launch of the Partnership for Expert Care website at https://partnershipforexpertcare.org/. The goal of this website is to raise awareness about the benefits of physician-led healthcare.
The website will help visitors:
- Understand the roles of different medical providers
- Learn how providers collaborate to deliver the best care
- Inform patients why the unique qualifications that physicians have make them the most qualified to lead the healthcare team.
Together, let us spread the word about this important topic. Visit https://partnershipforexpertcare.org/ to learn more, share your thoughts, and take action. As part of the campaign, we will be developing a communication “toolkit” that will include social media posts, white papers, videos, e-mails, newsletter articles, and other materials that can be disseminated through a variety of channels. We would like to ask for your help in spreading the word about this important topic by sharing these messages through your organization’s communication outlets and/or personal networks. If you are interested in helping, please contact visit the “Take Action” section of our website for more information..
A Psychiatrist’s Perspective
Jeffrey Barkin, MD, a Portland, Maine-based psychiatrist, explains the difference between physicians (MDs or DOs) and other clinicians on a care team and shares tips for patients to learn who is leading their healthcare teams. #KeepPhysiciansOnYourCareTeam
”A very common source of confusion is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. They’re both doctors, but they’re not at all alike. A medical doctor or a doctor of [osteopathic medicine] goes to medical school. A doctor of psychology, a PhD, or a PsyD goes to graduate school. Psychologists learn about psychology. They learn about psychologic testing. They learn about the psychologic and counseling care of patients. They don’t learn about anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology. They don’t learn the skills that a medical doctor learns in medical school. They’re different skillsets. And even though a psychologist and a psychiatrist are both called doctor, their roles are vastly different. Psychologists bring a unique set of skills in particular with certain types of psychologic testing, which they’re uniquely poised to do. Some psychologists are [also] very good with counseling, but that’s very different than being a medical doctor. The role of a medical doctor is to coordinate the overall care of the patients,” says Dr. Barkin.
Dr. Barkin also recognizes that the system has become complex, which makes it even more important for patients to ask questions and be actively involved in their care. “The most important thing for a patient or family member to do is to understand who’s treating them. And you have to ask.”
Jeffrey Barkin, MD, is a psychiatrist based in Portland, Maine. After receiving his medical degree from the Yale University School of Medicine, he pursued an internship at University Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, followed by a residency in psychiatry at Yale University. He has been in private practice treating individuals with a variety of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, and neuropsychiatry patients since 1991.