Dr. Mike Trangle

And it expands the access by having a psychiatrist consult to the primary care doctor just one or a couple hours a week, depending on how large the panel is. And there is a care manager there. who is someone who has a role of educating patients in mental health issues, following up with them.

And it expands the access by having a psychiatrist consult to the primary care doctor just one or a couple hours a week, depending on how large the panel is. And there is a care manager there. who is someone who has a role of educating patients in mental health issues, following up with them.

Like if that person gets diagnosed with depression, maybe they get referred to a therapist and told to start an antidepressant. He or she might call the patient after that and say, were you able to get an appointment with a therapist? Does it feel okay? Did you get in? Do you need any help troubleshooting?

Like if that person gets diagnosed with depression, maybe they get referred to a therapist and told to start an antidepressant. He or she might call the patient after that and say, were you able to get an appointment with a therapist? Does it feel okay? Did you get in? Do you need any help troubleshooting?

Because if you're depressed, you don't have your normal perseverance and energy and initiative to follow up on things. Or it could be they call and they say, did you get your script? Did you take it? Any problems or side effects or there's something to troubleshoot here? You know, and that person educates, follows up.

Because if you're depressed, you don't have your normal perseverance and energy and initiative to follow up on things. Or it could be they call and they say, did you get your script? Did you take it? Any problems or side effects or there's something to troubleshoot here? You know, and that person educates, follows up.

The patient that comes in is on a registry and we track how they're whether they're getting better or not, whether we actually measure their anxiety level or the depression level, make sure it's getting better. If not, we troubleshoot and modify their treatment plan. There's someone who can pick up this person is complaining of insomnia.

The patient that comes in is on a registry and we track how they're whether they're getting better or not, whether we actually measure their anxiety level or the depression level, make sure it's getting better. If not, we troubleshoot and modify their treatment plan. There's someone who can pick up this person is complaining of insomnia.

So you can kind of the psychiatrist can give them advice about let's look at their sleep hygiene. Let's look at how they're doing any any caffeine or other things that might interfere with sleep. Either they're taking it, it keeps them awake or withdrawing from something that keeps them awake. You know, that kinds of stuff. And It's used in all the mental health illnesses.

So you can kind of the psychiatrist can give them advice about let's look at their sleep hygiene. Let's look at how they're doing any any caffeine or other things that might interfere with sleep. Either they're taking it, it keeps them awake or withdrawing from something that keeps them awake. You know, that kinds of stuff. And It's used in all the mental health illnesses.

The primary care doc does the prescriptions, but the psychiatrist runs the list and gives advice to the primary care doc and to this care manager. And it works really well.

The primary care doc does the prescriptions, but the psychiatrist runs the list and gives advice to the primary care doc and to this care manager. And it works really well.

Well, if you go to, if you're in that primary care clinic, you'll, you'll see the care manager and they'll screen things and, and then they'll talk to the psychiatrist about it. And the psychiatrist might be giving advice on 80 to a hundred patients, you know, not, and they're there every week. One either, either physically or virtually and, and giving advice.

Well, if you go to, if you're in that primary care clinic, you'll, you'll see the care manager and they'll screen things and, and then they'll talk to the psychiatrist about it. And the psychiatrist might be giving advice on 80 to a hundred patients, you know, not, and they're there every week. One either, either physically or virtually and, and giving advice.

And it's something that was good enough that Medicare adopted it and pays for it. Most private health plans do, but not all. But in Minnesota, Minnesota MA doesn't pay for it, which is not a small percentage, if you think about it.

And it's something that was good enough that Medicare adopted it and pays for it. Most private health plans do, but not all. But in Minnesota, Minnesota MA doesn't pay for it, which is not a small percentage, if you think about it.

And if you're a primary care doc and you want to use this for everybody that's depressed, you want to have to pick and choose, depending on their insurance type, who you can give it to. Or else you give it and then you lose money. Then you say, I can't continue to do this. I'm going to stop doing this.

And if you're a primary care doc and you want to use this for everybody that's depressed, you want to have to pick and choose, depending on their insurance type, who you can give it to. Or else you give it and then you lose money. Then you say, I can't continue to do this. I'm going to stop doing this.

So there was a bill in the legislature this last session, which was introduced primarily to sort of mandate that Minnesota MA pay for it. It got transfigured in the legislative process and it mandated that all private plans pay for it. Medicare already pays for it, but it excluded Minnesota MA.

So there was a bill in the legislature this last session, which was introduced primarily to sort of mandate that Minnesota MA pay for it. It got transfigured in the legislative process and it mandated that all private plans pay for it. Medicare already pays for it, but it excluded Minnesota MA.