Pharma

Mayo Clinic to train Minnesota doctors on prescribing psychotropic drugs to children

The state of Minnesota is taking a new approach in controlling how providers take care […]

The state of Minnesota is taking a new approach in controlling how providers take care of children’s mental health in the state.

Earlier in the week it announced a program through which Mayo Clinic will provide online training to doctors around the state who prescribe psychotropic medications for children. The goal is not only improve care for these children but also to reduce hospitalization costs.

““We are pleased to join with Mayo Clinic to provide better mental health care to all Minnesota children, especially children served by the Medical Assistance program,” says Lucinda Jesson, the state’s Human Services commissioner in a news release. “This new psychiatric consultation service holds the promise of improved access and quality of care as well as greater efficiency so resources can be focused on appropriate treatment.”

The two-year, $1.7 million contract will encourage all pediatricians in the state to get training from Mayo, but will be mandatory for those who receive Medical Assistance fee-for-service payment for certain psychotropic drugs.

The program will involve three to four days of intensive training with a follow up of 6-months of coaching, explained Peter Jensen, lead investigator at the Mayo Clinic. Doctors can call a line any day of the week

“What doctors really need is support and training and many pediatricians and healthcare practitioners never got the training during the residency,” Jensen said.

The problem is much more complex than the problem of  over prescribing these strong, psychotropic drugs, as has been widely reported, Jensen said.

You can’t always say that the medicine is bad and the solution is to cut the medicines. The FDA sounded an alarm and there was a public outcry over these medicines. In the last couple of years suicide rates have risen not because these kids were put on this medicine, but because doctors were scared and stopped prescribing some of these medicines – presciption rates dropped by 20 percent. It’s a complicated problem.

While the two-year program will mark the first time that Mayo will be working with the state on mental health issues, nationally the organization has partnered with the nonprofit Reach Institute to accredit training programs it offers to doctors nationwide.

In September, Mayo will provide scholarships for 30 or 40 doctors to come to its campus in Minnesota to take part in a hands-on training program.

[Photo Credit: Freedigitalphotos.net]

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