In addition to the physician-to-psychiatrist consult line that is open to
any physician in the state, a special call center is available specifically
for Medica members. Medica's vision is to become the community's health plan of
choice, trusted for its integrity, respected for its service, and admired
for its commitment to innovation and efficiency.

anxiety victories

Untreated and under-treated depression leads to higher
medical and mental health care costs. The call
center's clinicians work with the member and the member's primary care
physician or other health care professionals to support the individual
action plans and to arrange for periodic reassessment. Patients agree, ranking these symptoms as major concerns in
a recent national survey. The development of a consensus
statement is one step in that direction. Schooler, PhD, adjunct professor of psychiatry at
Georgetown University School of Medicine. is the independent publisher of the monthly
journals Primary Psychiatry and CNS Spectrums, as well as a host of
enduring material programs in conjunction with Mount Sinai School of
Medicine.

depression victories

About Medica

Medica (www.

glbti sufferers

It also provides Medica members with business hour access
(Monday-Friday, 8 a. A coalition of public and private organizations formed the
Minnesota Mental Health Action Group in 2003 to press for change. As a result, the expert panel, convened by MBL
Communications, Inc.

castaways depressives

This call center is a key resource in Medica's
depression management program for Medica members (866-658-4662) and
provides 24-hour crisis-level access to licensed behavioral health
professionals. This includes Medica members who
are MNCare, MA or GAMC recipients.com ) is Minnesota's largest HMO, largest PPO and leading
non-profit and independent provider of health plans.

facilitator anxiety

This phone line may be used by a physician for
consultation about any patient, anywhere in the state. It responds to action
called for during 2004 by the Minnesota Mental Health Action Group (MMHAG),
which includes prominent government, academic, consumer and health care
organizations .

The professionals not only take calls from Medica members, but in some
cases, they make regularly scheduled phone calls to the member.
A panel of experts says doctors treating
patients with schizophrenia should be targeting symptoms beyond
hallucinations and delusions, and focus in on the common, but often
overlooked, symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as the inability to
think clearly. Harvey, PhD, professor of psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
and chief psychologist at Mount Sinai Hospital."

With the advent of atypical antipsychotics, it is now possible to
effectively treat the positive symptoms of hallucinations and delusions, as
well as affective symptoms such as depression and anxiety."

According to the survey, revealed for the first time during the panel
discussion, patients report that it is "very important" for them to have
the symptoms of hallucinations and delusions controlled, as well as
depression and the inability to think clearly, concentrate or remember.
Schizophrenia is associated with changes in cognition that affect the
ability to remember and to plan for achieving goals.

About MBL Communications

MBL Communications, Inc.

anxiety judgmental

PRESS RELEASE Medica Initiative Makes It Easier to Receive Care for Depression

From cost-effective behavioral
health benefit management services to complete work/wellness/life programs,
UBH meets the diverse needs of its members while helping its customers to
achieve long-term growth and success. Headquartered in San Francisco and
available online at www. "Today, patients and
physicians should expect that more of the disease symptoms can be
controlled, and that people with schizophrenia can have a more meaningful
life. and director, Outpatient Services, Tisch Hospital
Department of Psychiatry at New York University Medical Center.

caregiver fallout

, publishers of the trade journals Primary Psychiatry
and CNS Spectrums, will be issuing a consensus statement about new
treatment goals for schizophrenia. It is these symptoms that are
the greatest barriers to achieving a meaningful social and professional
recovery," said Peter J.

depressed suffer

Some suffer from depression,
others from depression and a chronic disease such as diabetes or cancer.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates 12 percent of
adult American women (about one in eight) and six percent of men, have a
depressive disorder.

"With proper
treatment and support, recurrences of mild to moderate depression are
nearly 100 percent preventable," said Dr.m. Nationwide, UBH's services reach more than 22 million
people. Medica has 1. The cause of schizophrenia is
unknown, but it is believed to be the result of abnormal brain functioning. Primary Psychiatry addresses the
significant comorbid interface between psychiatry and primary care
medicine.

facilitator victories

UBH is a leader in providing
evidence-based behavioral health care management services designed to help
improve and sustain the health and performance of individuals , workplaces
and communities.com, UBH is part of the
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) family of companies .

glbti caregiver

Medica is reaching out to physicians and
mental health professionals with a unique new program to help Medica
members with depression get faster access to treatment., chief medical
officer for Medica.medica. By
targeting the broader spectrum of symptoms, these medications allow
patients to function better in daily life. The affective and cognitive problems associated with
schizophrenia may be important factors in long-term outcome. If you would like to learn more about MBL Communications ,
Inc.

relieve trapped

The program encourages Medica members to work proactively with physicians,
behavioral health professionals, and other health care professionals, and
to follow treatment plans. Schizophrenia affects
approximately one in every 100 people. In addition, interest
and motivation are diminished and many individuals become depressed and
socially withdrawn.

victories castaways

Family Doctors Are the Front Line

Seventy-five to 80% of the cases of depression are diagnosed by family
physicians, internists and other primary care physicians.

"It takes time for advances in care to actually be used by physicians to
benefit patients," said David Ginsberg, MD, section editor, MBL
Communications, Inc.

manic sufferers

Always Voluntary, Always Confidential

Minnesota's mental health system has received increasing attention in
recent years. "The
recent major advances we have seen in the treatment of schizophrenia are so
important that we feel physicians need to expand upon their expectations to
encompass a broader view of the patient. CNS Spectrums -- The International Journal of Neuropsychiatric
Medicine -- is a monthly Index Medicus/MEDLINE journal designed to bridge
the clinical information needs of 48,000 US-based psychiatrists and
neurologists.

clinically depression

As with many other illnesses, the earlier and more effective the
intervention, the sooner people can see improved results.

Medica commercial and Medicaid HMO plans have the highest accreditation
status, Excellent, from the National Committee for Quality Assurance
(NCQA).

Expert Panel Calls for Raising the Bar in Treating Schizophrenia

Furthermore,
cognitive impairment (such as the inability to think clearly and difficulty
concentrating ) and impaired social function can also be alleviated."

The panelists also included: Peter Buckley , MD, professor and chairman of
the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Medical College
of Georgia and Nina R.

About Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a seriously debilitating mental illness characterized by
distortions of reality and disturbances in perception, mood, cognition ,
motivation, social function and motor behavior.

anxiety fallout

Health Advantage by Medica's depression/disease management is available to
people who are 18 years of age and older. "This survey shows that
patients are often ahead of their doctors in knowing the importance of
affective and cognitive symptoms.com .

depressed suffer

About United Behavioral Health (UBH)

Through its emphasis on evidence-based consumer -focused behavioral health
benefit management services, UBH helps improve the health and well-being of
people at home and at work. Primary Psychiatry -- The Leading Voice of Clinical Psychiatric
Medicine -- is the largest circulation, peer-reviewed psychiatric journal
in the United States, with a monthly circulation of over 65,000 primary
care physicians and psychiatrists.mblcommunications.

depression caregiver

Medica estimates that more than 90,000 of its members experience some
degree of depressive disorder in a given year.

According to the AMA, although depression is very treatable, in many cases
it is not diagnosed correctly, is under diagnosed, or is not treated
appropriately. Coordination of care
between medical and behavioral clinicians also reduces the risk of
under-treatment and unwanted side effects from medication. The program is designed to support the existing
physician/patient relationship , as well as provide information, care
coordination and clinical consultations.
Almost all of those surveyed (94%) believe that improved daily functioning
is part of successful treatment for their illness, including the ability to
work, shop and participate in hobbies as they normally would.

These groups, communities, or meeting places provide an opportunity for people with a common experience (such as a condition or disease, or a care-giving role) to share their concerns, and to seek and offer information and advice.

glbti victories

m. please visit: www.

depression suicidal

Fazio. In
addition, improving mental health services for people enrolled in
MinnesotaCare (MNCare), Medical Assistance (MA) and General Assistance
Medical Care (GAMC) is a 2006-2007 budget recommendation for the Minnesota
Department of Human Services.

UBH's comprehensive range of products and
services are customized to meet the needs of the nation 's employers, health
plans and public sector organizations.

"Research shows that affective and cognitive symptoms have a tremendous
impact on the suffering and frustrations that patients struggle with in
order to cope with this difficult illness.

suffer depressive

One of the distinctive features of the new program, Health Advantage by
Medica(SM), is a specific physician-to-psychiatrist consult line that is
open to all physicians regardless of whether or not they are part of
Medica's network ."

The Medica initiative is a significant advancement in efforts to identify,
engage and assist people suffering from depression.) for non-crisis level consultations, such
as coordination of care .2 million
members and 27,000 providers in a regional health care network service area
that includes 98 percent of Minnesotans and a growing number of adjoining
counties in Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota.

castaways affective

"For decades, psychiatry has focused almost solely on managing a patient 's
'positive symptoms,' such as hallucinations and delusions, because for
previous treatments, that is pretty much all we had to offer," said Philip
D.

suffer glbti

"I don't know of a
program like this anywhere else," said Charles Fazio, M. Health Advantage
by Medica is designed to bridge the gap between physicians and mental
health professionals so that the patient gets the right care from the right
clinician, and soon. Medica also offers
national network coverage to employers who also have employees outside the
Medica regional network.

judgmental fallout

D. According to MMHAG, mental health care in Minnesota has long
been characterized by limitations in access, and poor coordination between
physical health and mental health providers. The program also provides education and support
to help members and family members better understand the disease of
depression.

Medica developed its depression disease management program in collaboration
with United Behavioral Health (UBH). Their presentations and aspects
of the patient survey results will be published as a supplement in the
February issues of CNS Spectrums and Primary Psychiatry.

sufferers glbti

"It makes resources available to the entire community. For example, the NIMH estimates that
about 40 percent of adults with dysthymic disorder (chronic, mild
depression lasting at least two years) also meet criteria for major
depressive disorder or bipolar disorder. to 5 p. Medica members can self-refer or be
referred by physicians, behavioral health specialists and employee
assistance counselors for depression/disease management support.unitedbehavioralhealth . Weiden, MD, professor of psychiatry and director
of the Schizophrenia Research Service at State University of New York
(SUNY) Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn.

depression fallout

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