When Should Psychological Care Become Part of a Medical Referral?
Not every patient needs psychological care. But some medical problems cannot be fully understood or managed by treating the body alone.
A patient may present with persistent pain, sleep difficulties, changes in appetite, difficulty adhering to treatment, repeated medical consultations, unexplained physical symptoms or significant distress following a diagnosis.
The medical issue is real.
The question is whether the medical issue is the whole picture.
Psychological factors can affect how people experience symptoms, respond to illness, understand a diagnosis, follow treatment plans and cope with significant changes to their lives. Equally, physical illness can affect mood, relationships, functioning and a person's sense of safety.
That is why psychological care should not be viewed as something that is only introduced when a patient is “struggling emotionally”.
Sometimes it belongs much earlier in the process.
A referral to psychological care can be appropriate when a patient's psychological wellbeing is affecting their medical care, when illness is significantly affecting their functioning, or when the complexity of the situation requires more than one professional perspective.
The question is not whether the problem is psychological or medical.
Sometimes it is both.
This is where multidisciplinary healthcare becomes important.
A psychologist does not replace the physician, specialist or other healthcare professional. Psychological care forms part of a wider treatment picture, with appropriate communication, professional boundaries and referral pathways between practitioners.
For healthcare providers, the question worth asking is:
“What else does this patient need for their care to be effective?”
Sometimes the answer is psychological care.
And sometimes recognising that early can change the entire way a patient is supported.
PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE WITHIN HEALTHCARE
At Victory Within, psychological care is approached as part of a broader healthcare picture.
We work with healthcare professionals, medical practices and other providers where psychological support may form a relevant part of a patient's care. Referrals are considered according to the individual's needs, with appropriate professional communication and boundaries.
Healthcare is not always about treating one problem at a time. Sometimes it requires looking at the person as a whole.
Victory Within™
Psychological Care • Healthcare Partnerships
