F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Life gets stressful for everyone, and if a member needs someone to talk to, the clinic has options.
The primary care clinic here has trained members who are available through the Internal Behavioral Health Consultation Service Program.
What is IBHC?
The Internal Behavioral Health consultants consist of psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses who provide individuals with another facet to complete health care coverage. The team approach allows the physician and patients to consider the full spectrum of physical, behavioral and emotional aspects that may affect a patient’s health.
“I am an integrated member of the primary care team,” said Dr. Earl Faulkner, 90th Medical Operations Squadron internal health consultant. “I address a variety of health issues common to primary care including depression and anxiety; responses to physical illness; pain and substance use and abuse. I even deal with behavior change such as obesity, smoking, sleep and self-management of chronic conditions.”
What Should I Expect When I See the IBHC?
The IBHC will ask you questions pertaining to your physical symptoms, emotional responses you may be experiencing, behaviors and finally how all these might be related. Typically, appointments last 30 minutes, and patients are seen directly in the primary care clinic. Another benefit to the patient is that the IBHC documents, to include the assessment and recommendations, are placed in an outpatient medical record so nothing is documented in separate mental health records.
The IBHC will work directly with the patient’s primary care provider to provide a clear and concise plan with solution-focused skills and techniques that may help the patient feel and function better on a daily basis.
“This form of integrated care takes into consideration multiple aspects of an individual’s health condition and allows for an increased understanding of the whole person,” Faulkner said.
If interested in these services, please schedule an appointment at (307) 773-3461.