Biopsychosocial Care of Heart Patients: Are We Practicing What We Preach?

Research has indicated that both medical and psychosocial outcomes for recovering heart patients improve when patients receive psychosocial interventions. It therefore stands to reason that the treatment of heart patients would provide an ideal arena for implementing the biopsychosocial model of medical care. However, contemporary practice patterns indicate that physicians are falling far short of this ideal. Surveys of recovering heart patients document their desire for more psychosocial intervention, and research with time-stressed physicians indicates their desire for help in providing the psychosocial care their patients need. Referral to multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation programs can add the psychosocial component to cardiac care. Yet, only between 10% and 20% of patients with newly diagnosed heart disease and even fewer female and older heart patients receive such referrals each year.