Mental health: Many patients want primary-care doctors to check on emotional well-being

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Is there anything you would like your doctor to discuss about your mental health during your next checkup?

According to new Gallup poll, About 3 in 4 U.S. adults would like this to happen. However, about a third said they had never been asked.

The doctor explains what this says about the doctor-patient relationship.

“We don’t really know what a patient needs until they walk into the room,” said Dr. Branden Turner, a family physician at Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Hills Crenshaw.

Doctors must exchange a lot of information in a limited amount of time. So he gets to work on it right away.

“What have you come for today? What questions do you have for us today? And I followed that up with, “What brings you joy?” he said.

If the answer is “Hmm, I don’t know,” Dr. Turner asks more details about the patient’s mental health. Because it makes a huge difference to your physical health.

“If you’re depressed, do you take your diabetes medication every day? Probably not. If you’re depressed, do you take your blood pressure medication every day? Probably not. You just try to survive. ” he said.

The Gallup survey “speaks to the fact that we’re getting comfortable talking about these things,” Turner said.

But that opportunity is lost if patients aren’t asked about their mental health, Turner said. Because every visit is an opportunity for doctors to build trust and connections.

“I don’t think I’m expected to solve all of their problems, but I’m at least in a position where I can listen empathetically and send them to someone who can make them better.” “You have to put it in a successful place,” he said.

But the doctor-patient relationship works both ways. And he encourages patients to put more effort into finding a doctor of their choice.

“Treat finding a doctor like dating. You may not be the best doctor to start with, and you may be able to find another doctor that fits your needs a little better,” says Turner. he says.

More than half of those surveyed said testing for anxiety and depression is “very important” to primary care providers. Additionally, 57% said it is important for primary care providers to treat patients themselves for these symptoms.

“When you’re in a comfortable space, you can feel a little vulnerable about giving away important information, and it’s our job as practitioners to help create that space,” he said. Ta.