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Functional Roles and Foundational Characteristics of Psychologists in Integrated Primary Care

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Abstract

Psychologists are presented with unprecedented opportunities to integrate their work in primary care settings. Although some roles of psychologists in primary care overlap with those in traditional psychology practice settings, a number are distinct reflecting the uniqueness of the primary care culture. In this paper, we first describe the integrated primary care setting, with a focus on those settings that have components of patient centered medical home. We then describe functional roles and foundational characteristics of psychologists in integrated primary care. The description of functional roles emphasizes the diversity of roles performed. The foundational characteristics identified are those that we consider the ‘primary care ethic,’ or core characteristics of psychologists that serve as the basis for the various functional roles in integrated primary care. The ‘primary care ethic’ includes attitudes, values, knowledge, and abilities that are essential to the psychologist being a valued, effective, and productive primary care team member.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, 111 Brewster Street, Pawtucket, RI, 02860, USA

    Justin M. Nash

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, RI, USA

    Justin M. Nash

  3. Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, RI, USA

    Mark E. Vogel

  4. Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, MI, USA

    Mark E. Vogel

  5. Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA

    Kevin S. Masters

  6. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA

    Kevin M. McKay

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  1. Justin M. Nash
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  2. Kevin M. McKay
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  3. Mark E. Vogel
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  4. Kevin S. Masters
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Correspondence to Justin M. Nash.

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Nash, J.M., McKay, K.M., Vogel, M.E. et al. Functional Roles and Foundational Characteristics of Psychologists in Integrated Primary Care. J Clin Psychol Med Settings 19, 93–104 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-011-9290-z

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