Include a behavioral health specialist in ADHD evaluations

The basic primary care ­evaluation recommended by Dr. Brieler et al in “Working adeptly to diagnose and treat adult ADHD” (J Fam Pract. 2020;69:145-149) is a step up from what occurs in some practices. Nonetheless, I was concerned about the idea that an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) evaluation in a primary care office might not include a behavioral health specialist. The gold standard remains a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation.

Unless these other problems are addressed, treatment focused only on ADHD often yields suboptimal results.

As a family physician who has performed comprehensive ADHD evaluations for more than 25 years, I have frequently seen adults with ADHD who were diagnosed elsewhere, without a comprehensive evaluation, and had various undiagnosed comorbidities. Unless these other problems are addressed, treatment focused only on ADHD often yields suboptimal results.

We, as primary care physicians, can provide better care for our patients if we include a behavioral health specialist in the evaluation process.

H. C. Bean, MD, FAAFP, CPE
MGC Carolina Family Physicians
Spartanburg, SC

The basic primary care ­evaluation recommended by Dr. Brieler et al in “Working adeptly to diagnose and treat adult ADHD” (J Fam Pract. 2020;69:145-149) is a step up from what occurs in some practices. Nonetheless, I was concerned about the idea that an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) evaluation in a primary care office might not include a behavioral health specialist. The gold standard remains a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation.

Unless these other problems are addressed, treatment focused only on ADHD often yields suboptimal results.

As a family physician who has performed comprehensive ADHD evaluations for more than 25 years, I have frequently seen adults with ADHD who were diagnosed elsewhere, without a comprehensive evaluation, and had various undiagnosed comorbidities. Unless these other problems are addressed, treatment focused only on ADHD often yields suboptimal results.

We, as primary care physicians, can provide better care for our patients if we include a behavioral health specialist in the evaluation process.

H. C. Bean, MD, FAAFP, CPE
MGC Carolina Family Physicians
Spartanburg, SC

The basic primary care ­evaluation recommended by Dr. Brieler et al in “Working adeptly to diagnose and treat adult ADHD” (J Fam Pract. 2020;69:145-149) is a step up from what occurs in some practices. Nonetheless, I was concerned about the idea that an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) evaluation in a primary care office might not include a behavioral health specialist. The gold standard remains a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation.

Unless these other problems are addressed, treatment focused only on ADHD often yields suboptimal results.

As a family physician who has performed comprehensive ADHD evaluations for more than 25 years, I have frequently seen adults with ADHD who were diagnosed elsewhere, without a comprehensive evaluation, and had various undiagnosed comorbidities. Unless these other problems are addressed, treatment focused only on ADHD often yields suboptimal results.

We, as primary care physicians, can provide better care for our patients if we include a behavioral health specialist in the evaluation process.

H. C. Bean, MD, FAAFP, CPE
MGC Carolina Family Physicians
Spartanburg, SC