Improving outcomes in patients with bipolar disorder through establishing an effective treatment team

Abstract

A treatment gap exists between the efficacious treatments available for patients with bipolar disorder and the usual care these patients receive. This article reviews the evolution of the collaborative care treatment model, which was designed to address treatment gaps in chronic medical care, and discusses the efficacy of this model when applied to improving outcomes for patients with bipolar disorder in the primary care setting. Key elements of collaborative care include the use of evidence-based treatment guidelines, patient psychoeducation, collaborative decision-making with patients and with other physicians, and supportive technology to facilitate monitoring and follow-up of patient outcomes. Integrating psychiatric and medical health care can assist in achieving the goal of bipolar disorder treatment, which is full functional recovery for patients.

Figure 1

Improving Outcomes in Chronic Illness^{a a}Adapted with permission from Wagner et al.

Figure 2

Mean Weeks (%) in Any Affective Episode for Patients in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Bipolar Disorders Program and Patients Receiving Usual VA Care for Bipolar Disorder^{a a}Reprinted with permission from Bauer et al. *P = .041.

Figure 3

Key Elements of a Positive Collaborative Experience as Expressed by Individuals With Bipolar Disorder^{a a}Based on Sajatovic et al.