From the President's Corner



Neil Pliskin, PhD

Neil Pliskin, PhD
President, Society for Clinical Neuropsychology

As everyone knows or has experienced by now, healthcare delivery in the United States is undergoing a major transformation.  The passing of the Affordable Care Act has led to the formation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in many states.  One of the main ways the Affordable Care Act seeks to reduce health care costs is by encouraging doctors, hospitals and other health care providers to form networks which coordinate patient care and become eligible for bonuses when they deliver that care more efficiently.

This emphasis on coordinated or INTEGRATED CARE is already occurring in many medical centers, and it is changing the way that medicine (and neuropsychology) is being practiced.  While many of us “seasoned veterans” (#neuropsychologydinosaurs) are still working in our comfortable “silos” of clinical practice, it is highly likely that more of us will be practicing differently in a few years, and certainly the upcoming generation of neuropsychologists needs to understand and be prepared for changes in neuropsychology practice models.  Indeed, neuropsychologists working in institutions, medical centers and VAs will be increasingly “embedded” in multispecialty clinics with approaches to assessment shifting to shorter batteries, shorter reports and fast feedback.  The shifts in practice models is already occurring in some settings, with neuropsychologists working in primary care clinics, and specialty clinics (memory, geriatrics, pediatrics, diabetes, epilepsy) to name a few.

The most recent membership data about our Division indicate that we have 4754 members, of which 80% are licensed, 70% provide clinical services and 43% are in independent practice, so this topic is highly relevant to a majority of our Division members.  Therefore, I would like to learn more from members who are already involved in providing neuropsychology services in the context of integrated settings, and I would like to share this information over the course of the year with our early career psychologists and students who will be facing these challenges in their future.

Within the next several months, you will receive a survey inquiring about your experience with different models of integrated care in neuropsychology.  Please take the time to respond to the survey and share with our membership your experiences, and I will be sure to include updated information in the coming months through our blogs, newsletters and NeuroBlasts.  Additionally, a portion of SCN’s program at the upcoming 2015 APA convention in Toronto (August 6-9) will be devoted to presentations on Models of Integrated Care in Neuropsychology.  Please save the date and plan on attending the convention.

SCN colleagues, the era of integrated care creates new opportunities for providing services and for demonstrating our value in the world of healthcare. If you have comments, thoughts, suggestions or experiences you wish to share, I would welcome hearing from you during this year; please feel free to contact me (npliskin@uic.edu).