General Psychiatry

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Abstract
PRIMARY care currently has captured much attention. The need for more front-line physicians is clear, although it is but one piece in the jigsaw of health care. But what are the primary-care specialties? Thoughtful examination of the basic issues as they relate to the current practice of general psychiatry leads to an inescapable conclusion that this field belongs among the primary-care specialties. Because that fact is so inadequately appreciated, the present explanation is provided. The primary care concept has developed rapidly, and no single definition for it exists. Nevertheless, there are several thoughtful analyses of its essential features1-6and one of them has achieved semiofficial status.5A review of these indicates that three broad criteria are subsumed: (1) Initial contact and care.—The physician of first contact who assesses the situation and provides care for as many problems as possible. (2) Integration.—The physician who coordinates the remainder of the

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