A program for teaching psychiatric residents to provide integrated psychiatric and primary medical care.

The Psychiatry Primary Medical Care program of the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center teaches psychiatric residents to provide integrated psychiatric and medical care in a primary care setting. During the program's first year of operation, 34 patients received ongoing integrated care from seven residents. Patients, psychiatric residents, and medical faculty reported a high degree of satisfaction with the program. The duration and frequency of visits reflected the substantial mental health and primary care needs of the population. Patients frequently missed appointments. Barriers to starting and maintaining the program included space constraints and the amount of supervision required.