With Mental Health Professionals In Short Supply, Half Of U.S. Counties Have ‘No Access’ To Care
As demand for care grows, much of the country is experiencing a shortage of psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors and therapists. Also, news outlets report on other growing medical practice trends related to telemedicine, dental therapists and travel to Mexico for lower-cost services.
The Washington Post:
Why It’s So Hard To Find A Mental Health Professional
The demand for mental health service is growing nationally, and comprehensive mental health legislation is gaining momentum in Congress for the first time in years. But both forces could run up against a counter-force: a shortage of psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors and therapists in much of the country. More than half of U.S. counties have no mental health professionals and so "don't have any access whatsoever," according to Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. (Sun, 10/21)
The Fiscal Times:
Are You Ready to Visit Your Doctor Online? Telemedicine Has Arrived
Telemedicine has been rapidly changing the way health care is delivered in the United States, giving doctors the ability to communicate with their patients through text and video messages from thousands of miles away in the event that an in-person consultation is either unnecessary or unattainable. (Braverman, 10/21)
Marketplace:
New Oral Health Provider Sets Dentists' Teeth On Edge
The idea behind dental therapists – who fall between a hygienist and a dentist – is that these new mid-level providers would swell the ranks of people who can drill, fill and extract, making it easier for people to care for their teeth. That’s not how [Dr. Judith Fisch] and many dentists around the country see it. (Gorenstein, 10/21)
Cronkite News Service:
More Americans Visit Mexico For Low-Cost Medical Care
Many visitors bypass the shops and head straight for the pharmacies and dentists strategically located just a few steps from the border crossing. “Everything is at least 50 percent cheaper,” Jim Reed, 74, said. “It’s so expensive back home and it’s good quality we can afford here.” (D'Angelo, 10/21)
