Overview

The 10,400 psychiatric practices in the US provide mental health care through private practices, group practices, or medical facilities (hospitals, HMOs). Firms generate the majority of revenue through visits and consultations. Other sources of revenue include non-surgical interventions. Psychiatric practices may specialize in a particular type of disorder (eating disorders, behavioral problems, substance abuse) or patient (elderly adults, children, adolescents).

Dependence on Referrals

Because psychiatric care is highly personal and involves sensitive information, many patients rely on referrals to obtain services.

Drug Treatment Prevails

The advent of prescription drugs to treat mental illness created a fundamental shift in how the medical community provides psychiatric care.