The myth of prior authorization

by Richard S. Winer, M.D.
Having been in the private practice of psychiatry for over 30 years, I am glad to say that I still very much enjoy providing direct care for my patients. With equal conviction, I can safely state that like most of us who work in health care I am not a big fan of all the paperwork that goes along with my practice. This is not to say that medical records don’t have a place in our work. But, the situation has mushroomed to the point that we are incredibly consumed by the avalanche of paperwork that can take up more time than what we provide for our patients. In recent years, the biggest and most increasing offender has been, in my opinion, the prior authorization process. [Read More]

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The new age of accessible mental health information

by Richard S. Winer, M.D.
When I attended the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry for my residency training in psychiatry, one of the real treats was having the opportunity to meet with the school's namesake, "Dr. Karl," himself. He along with his brother Will and his father C.F. founded the Menninger Clinic in the early part of the 20th Century in Topeka, Kansas. The clinic and hospital along with the training programs served as shining lights to those who wished to pursue a career in psychiatry and other related mental health disciplines. [Read More]

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Confidence Starts with Self

by Richard S. Winer, M.D.
Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of being a regular guest on a cable morning television show. We usually discuss sports during one segment and an issue related to psychiatry in the second segment. Most recently, we talked about the issues of self-confidence, self-esteem, and social anxiety as there had been requests from viewers and listeners of the show to take a look at these subjects. [Read More]

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