What is a psychologist (psylician)?

From the Guidelines

The term "psylician" is not a recognized medical term or profession in standard healthcare terminology, and individuals seeking mental health care should consult a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other licensed professionals such as clinical social workers, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or licensed professional counselors. When considering mental health care, it's essential to understand the different roles and capabilities of various professionals.

• Psychiatrists are medical doctors specializing in mental health who can prescribe medications.
• Psychologists specialize in therapy and psychological assessment but typically cannot prescribe medications.
• Clinical social workers, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and licensed professional counselors also play crucial roles in mental health care, with different training backgrounds and capabilities. The choice of professional depends on specific mental health needs, whether medication management, therapy, or both are required 1. In the context of anxiety and depression management in adult survivors of cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guideline update recommends routine screening for emotional distress and symptoms of anxiety from the point of diagnosis onward, using valid and reliable tools such as the GAD-7 scale 1. For individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and co-occurring symptoms of anxiety or depression, a multidisciplinary management approach is recommended, including master patient-friendly language for discussion of the gut–brain axis, adjusting the duration and/or frequency of assessment and treatment visits, and being familiar with the threshold for referral to specialist clinicians 1. Gastroenterologists should establish a direct referral and ongoing communication pathway with qualified mental health providers and assure patients that they will remain part of their care team, with access to evidence-based brain–gut psychotherapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and gut-directed hypnotherapy 1. Ultimately, the most important consideration is to prioritize the individual's specific mental health needs and provide them with access to the most appropriate care and treatment options.

From the Research

Telemedicine in Primary Care

• The use of telemedicine in primary care has been increasing, with studies showing its feasibility and effectiveness in delivering care 2, 3, 4.
• Telemedicine has been found to be particularly useful in addressing challenges facing primary care, such as sustainability and physician shortages 2.
• However, there are still challenges to be addressed, including validating its impact on clinical outcomes and standardizing methods to assess cost 2.

Patient and Provider Acceptance

• Patients have been found to be more accepting of telemedicine than healthcare providers, although acceptance varies by demographic variables such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status 2.
• Clinicians and patients consider telemedicine to be appropriately used in primary care for certain clinical situations, but not others 3.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred an expansion in telehealth use by primary care physicians, with over 70% of physicians intending to use telehealth at least occasionally after the pandemic 4.

Implementation and Barriers

• The implementation of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic identified barriers and opportunities for technology adoption, including poor infrastructure and reimbursement mechanisms 5.
• Surveys of primary care clinicians found that attitudes toward telemedicine improved over time, with respondents considering video and telephone-based care important tools for their practice 5.
• Patient, provider, and site-level characteristics have been found to influence the use of telehealth, with certain groups more likely to use telephone or video-based care 6.