Infant/Preschool Clinic Welcome Letter
TO: Primary Care Providers Interested in Referring to the Washington University
Department of Psychiatry Consultation Clinic
Welcome to the Infant/Preschool Clinic!
Due to the overwhelming shortage of Child Psychiatrists, we are actively pursuing
innovative strategies to support Primary Care Providers in the Community. As a
Referring physician to the infant preschool clinic we would like to explain the
difference between this clinic, the general child clinic and a long term psychiatric
clinic. Specifically, this clinic is designed to have a Child Psychiatrists work in close
collaboration with Primary Care Providers to help them meet the mental health needs
of their patients. As part of this process, patients will be seen for an initial
consultation by a Child Psychiatrist. In the infant preschool clinic this evaluation
process is conducted over 4 sessions in 4 consecutive weeks. At the end of this
evaluation process, the Psychiatrist will discuss their impression and treatment plan
recommendations with the Referring Provider via phone or email and will be
available in an ongoing way to help them manage their patients over time. Together
with the family, we will coordinate a treatment plan with your office. The idea is that
for some patients it will be possible to co-manage them, for others they will be
referred to ongoing treatments within our clinic or to outside referral sources. We are
using consultation rather than direct care in an effort to maintain good availability for
new evaluations. If it is determined that consultation is not the best option, we will
discuss other options for follow-up within the community. There will also be an option
for your patients to be re-evaluated at this office as part of ongoing care by you. If
you have any questions about the nature of the Consultation Clinic, please feel free
to contact our clinic at 314-286-1700 or email wuchild@psychiatry.wustl.edu.
Here’s how the process works:
Once you determine that a patient is a good
candidate for the Infant/Preschool clinic, you will complete the Consult Form and fax
it to the clinic (314-286-1799). A psychiatrist will review the consult and the clinic will
contact the patient to schedule an appointment. Any concerns about the referral will
be discussed directly with you or a letter out lining those concerns will be sent. We
are providing a contact letter and information similar to the one you are reading now
which will be given to the family to help them understand the process and assist in
scheduling. The patient will be traveling to Washington University’s Medical school
campus for the appointment. They will be given an appointment time as well as being
sent a packet of information to complete prior to their appointment.
We welcome your participation in this clinic and look forward to creating a great
working relationship and strong collaboration.
Sincerely,
Joan Luby, M.D.
Director Infant/Preschool Clinic
Please have referring provider sign to acknowledge receipt of this letter and
understanding of Consultation Clinic.
Sign:_____________________________ Date:_________