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Work practices and attitudes of mental health professionals – three years after the launch of the insurance reform
Researchers: Hadar Samuel1
- Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute
Background: In July 2015, the mental-health insurance reform, which transferred responsibility for providing mental health services from the government to the health plans, went into effect. In 2012, MJB conducted a study of the work of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers in mental health prior to implementing the reform. The present study examines the effects of the reform on professionals' work and perceptions three years after implementation.
Objectives: To examine:
1. Work practices among psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers in mental health, three years after the reform;
2. Professionals' perceptions of the reform's effects on their work;
3. The reform's impact of professionals' work patterns by comparing the findings to those of the 2012 survey.
1. Work practices among psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers in mental health, three years after the reform;
2. Professionals' perceptions of the reform's effects on their work;
3. The reform's impact of professionals' work patterns by comparing the findings to those of the 2012 survey.
Method: A cross-sectional Internet survey of a sample of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, and all social workers working at mental-health government frameworks.
Findings: Some changes were found in work and care delivery patterns that are in line with the reform goals, (e.g.increases in the oversight of therapists’ work, rate of professionals making use of evidence-based care, rate of professionals taking financial considerations into account). Other changes, such as the weakening of the relationship between mental health services, primary care, heavy workloads in public clinics, and the difficulty to provide good quality of care reported by some public-sector professionals, indicate that the goals have not been fully achieved. In some of the aspects examined in this study, a gap was found between the professionals' reports of their work patterns (which indicate only minor changes) and their perceptions.
Recommendations: It is important to bridge the gaps between the actual work of professionals and their perceptions, reduce the bureaucratic burden resulting from supervising the work of professionals and develop tools to help professionals understand how to better integrate primary care and mental health.
Research number: R/2016/169
Research end date: 08/2019