TriWest Network Gives Support for Idaho Providers

Given the unique demands on military service members and their families, TriWest Healthcare Alliance' network providers in Idaho have a unique opportunity to assist TRICARE beneficiaries and their sponsors identify and treat presenting problems, while helping families to manage their health care needs. Military life is a noble profession but is charged with the potential for psychosocial problems and health conditions for service members and their families. Behavioral health, substance abuse and community services are often fragmented and not easily accessible to providers in the military system and the health care support contractor network. TriWest is launching a support program, especially focused on the Idaho provider network, to allow access to the following support tools:

• Continuing Medical Education (CME)
• Behavioral Health Medical Director consultation
• Web content

Continuing Medical Education

A timely and relevant population-specific issue involves understanding the effects of deployment and reunification on service members and their families. TriWest intends to assist the direct care system with the following:

• early identification of depression
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• suicide prevention
• domestic violence

For the first program in this series, TriWest will collaborate with Pfizer to present a program about PTSD, that has already been tested and well received at both Fort Campbell and Fort Knox. The presentation features VADM Harold Koenig (Ret), author of a number of published articles on PTSD. In this presentation, Koenig describes his experiences working with service members experiencing PTSD. Local resources available within the direct care system and civilian network will be discussed, and points of contact will be provided, following a brief diagnosis and treatment discussion.

Behavioral Health Medical Consultation

TriWest recognizes the contribution made by primary care providers in the early intervention and treatment of behavioral health issues. In an effort to support providers, who may be the only network resource in rural areas, TriWest will provide telephone and e-mail access to a behavioral health medical director (psychiatrist) for diagnostic, referral and treatment questions. TriWest's Behavioral Health Medical Director for the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Robert Small, has successfully used this model to support primary care providers with behavioral health issues in both rural and urban settings. A recent Wall Street Journal article on new-generation antipsychotic medications indicates that 30 percent of prescriptions for antipsychotic medication are written by non-psychiatrists. You are invited to contact Dr. Small at the Tacoma hub, after June 1, at 253-382-3467 and by e-mail at rsmall@triwest.com.

Web Access to Behavioral Health Information

Both behavioral health and primary care providers need timely access to current information about behavioral health topics. Here's a list of some of the topics TriWest makes available to providers:

• Psychopharmacology
• Practice guidelines
• Screening tool
• Diagnosis and treatment of specific disorders, e.g., ADHD
• TRICARE behavioral health program information
• Community resources for non-covered services

This web site has been designed to make this and other relevant information easily accessible to behavioral health and other network providers. TriWest is responsive to changing community needs and will use the web site to communicate updates and special concerns.