Patients of psychiatrists and psychologists in office-based practice: 1980

Examined data from a national household survey of 17,900 people concerning medical care utilization and expenditures (G. S. Bonham, 1983) to compare psychiatrists' and psychologists' practices with respect to patient characteristics, length of treatment, regional patterns of use, charges, and sources of reimbursement. Differences between psychiatrists' and psychologists' patients were found in age, education, employment, health status, and insurance coverage and seemed to be associated with differential reimbursement of psychiatrists and psychologists. Psychiatrists and psychologists provide one-third of the mental health ambulatory visits in the US. (26 ref)