Strategic Patient Diagnosis: Enhancing Therapeutic Alliances, Diagnostic Precision, and Inter-Professional Communication in Clinical Practice (Live In-Person)

Registration Opens: August 26, 2024

In-person workshop.

Stay for the afternoon. Dr. Rusu will also be presenting on Mood Disorders from 1-4pm. Lunch will be provided for everyone attending in person. Make sure to grab a lunch on your way out if you're only staying for the morning, or come early to have lunch if you're only able to come for the afternoon. 

This workshop aims to equip clinicians with strategic approaches to diagnose patients effectively from the initial consultation. It focuses on fostering a therapeutic alliance and proficiently handling necessary documentation for charting purposes. The workshop will guide participants to form and back their diagnostic impressions, even in cases where patients present with unconfirmed external diagnoses or psychotropic medications. The workshop will also delve into refining initial non-specific diagnoses (like unspecified anxiety disorder), and progress towards more specific ones.

Another key aspect of the workshop includes engaging patients' families from the onset to aid in differential diagnosis, bolster treatment plans, and mitigate liability risks in case of adverse outcomes. Furthermore, the workshop will address effective communication strategies with medical prescribers, offering insights into common psychotropic medications, their uses, and potential side effects. This comprehensive workshop is designed to enhance diagnostic accuracy, patient engagement, and interprofessional communication.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recall the key principles of effective patient diagnosis, including the importance of fostering a therapeutic alliance and documenting clinical observations accurately.
2. Describe how to formulate diagnostic impressions, even when dealing with patients who have unconfirmed external diagnoses or are on psychotropic medications.  
3. Determine how to refine initial non-specific diagnoses (like unspecified anxiety disorder) and progress towards more specific diagnoses.
4. Analyze the role of the patient's family in the diagnostic process and how their involvement can aid in differential diagnosis, strengthen treatment plans, and help mitigate liability risks.
5. Consider effective communication strategies with medical prescribers to ensure an efficient exchange of information about common psychotropic medications, their uses, and potential side effects.
6. Create comprehensive treatment plans incorporating specific diagnoses, patient's medical history, family input, and potential medication side effects.

Research: DSM-5-TR® Handbook of Differential Diagnosis; McIntyre RS, Zimmerman M, Goldberg JF, First MB.

Differential Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder Versus Bipolar Disorder: Current Status and Best Clinical Practices. J Clin Psychiatry. 2019 May 14;80(3):ot18043ah2. doi: 10.4088/JCP.ot18043ah2. PMID: 31091027.Freidl EK, Stroeh OM, Elkins RM, Steinberg E, Albano AM, Rynn M.

Assessment and Treatment of Anxiety Among Children and Adolescents. Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2017 Apr;15(2):144-156. doi: 10.1176/appi.focus.20160047. Epub 2017 Apr 6. PMID: 31975847; PMCID: PMC6526964.

Target Audience: social workers, mental health practitioners, creative arts therapists, marriage and facility therapists, psychologists, addiction professionals, case managers, and other interested individuals.

We are happy to respond to any concerns or questions you may have. Please contact us at by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.

ADA Accommodations: If you require any support for your ADA needs in the United States, please contact us by email at least 3 weeks prior to the event by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.

Registration open until: 10/28/24