https://www.patrickbarta.com/ 2012-05-20T11:23:08-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/ https://www.patrickbarta.com/lib/tpl/arctic/images/favicon.ico text/html 2009-09-29T17:36:16-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/addiction?rev=1254260176&do=diff Online resources for patients * Alcoholics Anonymous * How to find an AA meeting * Baltimore Intergroup Council of Alcoholics Anonymous * Narcotics Anonymous * How to find an NA meeting * Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text * Free State Region of Narcotics Anonymous text/html 2009-09-29T19:40:34-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/address?rev=1254267634&do=diff Patrick Barta, MD, PhD 101 E Chesapeake Avenue Suite 401 Towson, MD 21286 text/html 2009-10-02T09:38:23-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/anxiety?rev=1254490703&do=diff Online resources for patients * Anxiety disorders * Panic disorder * Phobias * Post Traumatic Stress disorder Online resources for professionals Please note that these are guidelines and not rule books. * Guideline Watch: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Panic Disorder * Treatment of Patients With Panic Disorder text/html 2009-10-02T17:27:20-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/appointments?rev=1254518840&do=diff I would prefer to talk with you on the phone before your first appointment, primarily to make sure that I feel that I may be able to help you. If you would like, you may leave a message on my answering machine, or drop me an email with your contact information. text/html 2009-09-29T18:35:54-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/assertiveness?rev=1254263754&do=diff Suggested readings While I agree with most of the contents of these books, I don't necessarily agree with everything in them. ---------- Basically, a straightforward strategy for improving communication. ---------- text/html 2009-09-29T17:46:05-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/attention_deficit_disorder?rev=1254260765&do=diff Suggested readings While I agree with most of the contents of these books, I don't necessarily agree with everything in them. ---------- Strategies for coping with ADD ---------- Similar to above, more emphasis on ADHD ---------- text/html 2009-09-29T19:38:37-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/billing?rev=1254267517&do=diff I don't send bills. I expect to be paid by check or credit card at the time of service. text/html 2009-09-29T19:44:57-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/billing_codes?rev=1254267897&do=diff Billing codes I usually use one of the following billing codes: 90801Psychiatric Diagnostic Interview Examination90804Individual Psychotherapy (20 minutes)90805Individual Psychotherapy with Medication Management (20 minutes)90806Individual Psychotherapy (50 minutes)90807Individual Psychotherapy with Medication Management (50 minutes)90862Medication Management (20 minutes) text/html 2012-03-07T13:37:01-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/bipolar_disorder?rev=1331145421&do=diff Online resources for patients * Let's Talk Facts: Bipolar Disorder Online resources for professionals Please note that these are guidelines and not rule books. * Guideline Watch: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Bipolar Disorder, 2nd Edition * Treatment of Patients With Bipolar Disorder text/html 2009-09-29T18:18:35-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/borderline_personality_disorder?rev=1254262715&do=diff Online resources for professionals Please note that these are guidelines and not rule books. * Treatment of Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder (by American Psychiatric Association) * Guideline Watch: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder (by American Psychiatric Association) * TREATING BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER: A Quick Reference Guide (by American Psychiatric Association) text/html 2009-10-02T09:42:29-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/cancellations?rev=1254490949&do=diff * If you miss your appointment, you will be charged. * If you cancel your appointment with less than 48 hours notice, you will also be charged, unless I am able to fill your scheduled time with someone else. The first of these policies is standard procedure for most mental health professionals. The second of these policies relates to how I run my practice. My schedule is either filled or close to filled most of the time. If I am seeing someone else, I am not able to call someone else to resc… text/html 2012-01-03T10:15:34-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/communication?rev=1325603734&do=diff I do not charge for most brief phone calls or emails directly related to your clinical condition. By clinical, I mean dealing directly with * you, * your family members, * a pharmacist who needs to clarify a prescription, * another physician, or * another mental health professional regarding your treatment. text/html 2009-09-29T19:24:20-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/conflict_of_interest?rev=1254266660&do=diff Conflict of interest I do not have any dealings with drug companies. I do not talk with drug company representatives. I do not accept anything from them such as samples or honorariae. None of my research is supported by drug companies. I do not treat people with whom I have some other relationship such as friends or students of mine. I do not socialize with my patients. text/html 2009-10-07T09:03:54-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/credentials?rev=1254920634&do=diff Education YearExperience1974-1978BES, Bioengineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD1978-1985MD, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD1978-1985Phd, Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD1985-1986Intern, Psychiatry, Francis Scott Key Medical Center, Baltimore, MD1986-1989Resident, Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD Work Experience YearExperience1985-1988Consultant, Operational and Clinical Systems, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD1989-1993Ass… text/html 2009-09-29T18:20:16-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/death_and_grieving?rev=1254262816&do=diff Suggested readings While I agree with most of the contents of these books, I don't necessarily agree with everything in them. ---------- Good book on bereavement. ---------- Another good book on bereavement. ---------- Dealing with loss of children. text/html 2009-09-29T18:21:23-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/dementia?rev=1254262883&do=diff Online resources for patients * Mental Health of the Elderly Online resources for professionals Please note that these are guidelines and not rule books. * Treatment of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, Second Edition (by American Psychiatric Association) * TREATING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND OTHER DEMENTIAS: A Quick Reference Guide text/html 2009-09-29T18:29:29-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/depression?rev=1254263369&do=diff Online resources for patients * Depression * Seasonal Affective Disorder Online resources for professionals Please note that these are guidelines and not rule books. * Guideline Watch: Treatment of Patients With Major Depressive Disorder, Second Edition (American Psychiatric Association) * Treatment of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder (American Psychiatric Association) * Treating Major Depressive Disorder: A Quick Reference Guide (American Psychiatric Association) text/html 2009-09-29T17:33:17-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/drug_therapy?rev=1254259997&do=diff * Epocrates good online information about drugs and side effects without having to give any personal information. At the same location, you can also do a check for interactions between all drugs that you are taking, but this requires registration with your email address. I don't believe they send you junk email if you do this, but I'm not totally sure. text/html 2009-09-29T18:30:16-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/eating_disorders?rev=1254263416&do=diff Suggested readings While I agree with most of the contents of these books, I don't necessarily agree with everything in them. ---------- Good basic information. ---------- text/html 2012-01-03T11:17:46-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/email?rev=1325607466&do=diff My email address is: <patrickbarta@patrickbarta.com> I try to check my email once a day. For privacy reasons, I advise that you to be thoughtful when using email to contact me. Email is much less private than most people think, and many people such as systems administrators, bosses, and curious family members can often read any email that you send. Email communication is good for a brief note saying something like “you asked me to check in with you to let you know everything is fine, and it is… text/html 2009-09-29T19:52:54-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/emergencies?rev=1254268374&do=diff If you have an emergency and cannot reach me, please go to the nearest emergency room and ask to see a psychiatrist. I try to answer phone calls as promptly as I can, but I also have a policy of not taking phone calls from one patient while I am with another patient, so that sometimes limits my opportunities to get back to you. text/html 2009-09-29T18:37:02-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/exercise?rev=1254263822&do=diff While I agree with most of the contents of these books, I don't necessarily agree with everything in them. ---------- Excellent introduction to the mental health benefits of exercise. ---------- text/html 2012-01-03T11:33:25-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/first_visit?rev=1325608405&do=diff Please read this section completely before your first visit, and follow the instructions here so that we can spend more time on the important part of your consultation, and less time on paperwork. About your first visit Your first visit will probably take an hour and a half. We usually begin with you telling me about the difficulties you are having, then I review your first visit form, then I get some more background history, and finally we decide together on what we should do next. text/html 2011-08-17T13:01:14-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/forms?rev=1313600474&do=diff You can download any of these forms in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format. If your browser prompts you to save the file, save it somewhere on your computer where you can find it and print it out. FormAdobe Acrobat pdfFirst VisitHIPAAInsurance consent formMedicareTelepsychiatry consentUniform Treatment Plan There is a free Adobe Acrobat reader program that works on almost anyone's computer. text/html 2009-09-29T19:48:09-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/free?rev=1254268089&do=diff * MD state funded programs (Core service agencies) * Guide to mental health services in Maryland text/html 2012-01-03T11:24:00-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/gmail?rev=1325607840&do=diff For reasons that I do not understand, when I send appointment reminders to people with GMail accounts, the reminders frequently land in the GMail spam folder rather than being delivered to your inbox. If you have GMail, I would urge you to inspect your spam folder regularly. I will still hold you responsible for any missed appointment due to relying on your GMail account to remind you about your appointments. text/html 2009-09-29T17:29:42-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/health?rev=1254259782&do=diff About online medical information Almost everyone uses the internet for medical information. Here are some general guidelines: * Buying Medicines and Medical Products Online * A User's Guide to Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Web (Medical Library Association) * Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct * 10 Things To Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web (NIH) * Evaluating Health Information (NIH) * Evaluating Internet Health Information: A Tutorial … text/html 2009-10-02T09:56:09-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/hotlines?rev=1254491769&do=diff Crisis hotlines * Hope Line Network 1.800.784.2433 (Suicide hotline) * Maryland Youth Crisis Hotline is a 24/7 hotline for children and parents to call to talk to someone and find treatment information in your area. 1.800.422.0009 text/html 2009-09-30T17:16:51-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/insurance?rev=1254345411&do=diff I do not bill insurance companies for you. Some insurance companies have arrangements with physicians called “preferred providers” or “in-network providers.” These physicians agree to see certain patients for less than their usual fee in return for referrals. I have not entered into any of these agreements because I think that insurance companies are not as interested in the quality of your health care as they are in getting a deal which improves their profit. If you need it, I can supply a rece… text/html 2009-10-02T09:57:16-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/map?rev=1254491836&do=diff * Click the red ballon to get the address of my office. * Get driving instructions * Click on the arrow buttons to move the map. * Click on the '+' and '-' buttons to change the magnification. text/html 2009-09-29T19:33:34-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/medical_records?rev=1254267214&do=diff * I do not charge for sending medical records for clinical reasons if I have seen you within a year. * I do charge for sending medical records for any non-clinical reason, or if I haven't seen you within a year. My current fees for this service are: * $22.18 for preparation, * $0.73 per page, and * the cost of any postage and handling. text/html 2009-09-29T19:27:23-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/medicare?rev=1254266843&do=diff Medicare's mental health benefits are lower than Medicare's other benefits. Outpatient mental health visits are only covered up to 50% of very low "reasonable and customary fees", and that plus the substantial overhead of billing Medicare is why many psychiatrists who provide outpatient mental health treatment choose not to accept patients on Medicare. text/html 2009-10-02T09:58:37-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/mental_health?rev=1254491917&do=diff * National Alliance for the Mentally Ill * National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression * Mental Health Association of Maryland * On Our Own text/html 2009-10-02T10:04:35-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/ocd?rev=1254492275&do=diff Online resources for patients * Let's Talk Facts: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Online resources for professionals Please note that these are guidelines and not rule books. * Guideline Watch: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder text/html 2009-10-02T10:05:57-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/paperwork?rev=1254492357&do=diff In general, I prefer do all my work for you during your session. I do not charge any additional fees for any paperwork that we do during your session. When we are together, it is much easier to get things done quickly and efficiently. If you need any paperwork from me, such as insurance forms, prescriptions, letters to work, etc., please let me know at the beginning of your session so that we can attend to them during your session. If you wait until the end of your session, we may not have time … text/html 2009-09-29T19:55:15-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/parking?rev=1254268515&do=diff Parking is available across the street from my office. Some parking meters in the area allow you to park for three hours (on Delaware St, for example), but many only allow you to park for one hour. Please be careful if you park at a metered spot. The meter attendants in downtown Towson are private contractors who get a commission for every ticket they write and are very strict and punctual. text/html 2009-10-02T10:15:08-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/patients?rev=1254492908&do=diff I have experience in treating adult patients with most common psychiatric disorders such as: * ADD, * Addiction, * Bipolar disorder, * Dementia, * Depression, * Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), * Panic attacks, * Personality disorders, * Schizophrenia, and * other disorders such as post-partum depression and adjustment disorders. text/html 2009-09-29T19:52:08-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/payment?rev=1254268328&do=diff I accept personal checks, Visa and Mastercard. For security reasons, my billing system does not retain any of your credit card information. I would prefer that you not pay in cash because I would rather not have currency in my office. text/html 2009-09-29T20:03:59-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/philosophy?rev=1254269039&do=diff Philosophy I run my practice by myself to keep my overhead down. This choice has certain advantages, most notably that I deal with everyone directly and that it is easy to keep your case confidential. It also has some disadvantages, primarily in that I sometimes have to triage requests for my time and that it isn't feasible for me to spend lots of time on insurance company or legal paperwork. If you want a doctor who text/html 2009-12-30T07:52:09-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/prior_authorization?rev=1262177529&do=diff Most health insurance companies contract with another company, called a “pharmacy benefits manager” or PBM, to restrict your access to your medications. If you go to the pharmacy and are told “we need prior authorization from your doctor,” you should know that this statement is terribly misleading. What is going on is that your PBM is restricting your access to your medications, not your physician, and not your pharmacy. text/html 2009-10-02T10:19:04-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/privacy?rev=1254493144&do=diff My privacy practices document goes into detail regarding my privacy practices. In general, I believe that mental health records need to be even more private than most other medical records and I do my best to keep them so. I do take notes on my laptop and all patient information is stored in a locked file cabinet or encrypted computer files so that if my laptop is lost or stolen, none of your private information will be revealed. text/html 2009-10-02T11:09:11-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/psychotherapy?rev=1254496151&do=diff Many of my patients are baffled about all the different kinds of psychotherapy which are available, and which kind might be most helpful for them. This is a complex question, and cannot be answered with some knowledge of her diagnosis and your personal situation. text/html 2009-09-29T19:44:24-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/rates?rev=1254267864&do=diff Basically, I charge for the time that I see you during your session, and some of the time when you ask me to do work for your outside your session. I do not publish my session fees on the Internet, but would be happy to discuss them with you over the phone. text/html 2009-09-29T19:43:00-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/reasonable_and_customary_fees?rev=1254267780&do=diff Reasonable and customary fees Since different insurance companies have different ideas of what is “reasonable and customary,” it is evident that there is no consensus on what this term means. Although the government and insurance companies often say they will pay some percentage of “reasonable and customary” fees, all the formulae for calculating these fees are secret. The Health Insurance Association of America (one source that insurance companies quote as a source of their data) has disclaim… text/html 2012-03-05T18:26:31-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/refills?rev=1330989991&do=diff I do not respond to requests for prescription refills from pharmacies because I always want to talk to the patient first. Asking pharmacy staff to fax or call in refill requests only wastes your time and theirs. When patients call in for refills out of session I see it as a red flag that something has gone wrong. I believe that anytime people call for refills out of session that a medication error has occurred, and I want to be proactive about preventing medication errors, which can lead to ser… text/html 2009-09-29T19:50:58-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/returned_checks?rev=1254268258&do=diff There is a $25 charge for any check returned by the bank. text/html 2009-09-29T19:45:45-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/schedule?rev=1254267945&do=diff In general, I work Wednesday and Thursday late mornings through evenings. I sometimes see established patients outside these times (such as a Saturday) in an emergency situation. text/html 2009-09-29T18:32:07-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/schizophrenia?rev=1254263527&do=diff Online resources for patients * Let's Talk Facts: Schizophrenia Online resources for professionals Please note that these are guidelines and not rule books. * Treatment of Patients with Schizophrenia, Second Edition (American Psychiatric Association) * Treating Schizophrenia: A Quick Reference Guide (American Psychiatric Association)) text/html 2009-09-29T18:34:48-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/sexuality?rev=1254263688&do=diff Suggested readings While I agree with most of the contents of these books, I don't necessarily agree with everything in them. ---------- ---------- text/html 2010-01-19T08:44:28-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/skype?rev=1263908668&do=diff I offer telepsychiatry services is via Skype. My Skype name is: patbarta Please note that I don't usually have Skype turned on on my computer and that we usually need to make prior arrangements to use Skype for your sessions. The only exception to this would be during bad weather, during which times I will usually have Skype running on my computer. text/html 2012-01-03T10:01:32-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/start?rev=1325602892&do=diff Click on any topic below for more information Contact address : email : map : parking : skype : telephone/fax : vCard General appointments : communication : credentials : first visit : forms : patients : philosophy : schedule : telepsychiatry Policies cancellations : conflict of interest : drug companies : emergencies : prior authorization : privacy : weather text/html 2009-09-29T18:38:23-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/stress_management?rev=1254263903&do=diff Suggested readings While I agree with most of the contents of these books, I don't necessarily agree with everything in them. ---------- An old book, in and out of print, but with many good basic stress management techniques. ---------- Just what it says, a handbook of techniques. text/html 2009-09-29T18:28:41-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/suicide?rev=1254263321&do=diff Online resources for patients * Teen Suicide Online resources for professionals Please note that these are guidelines and not rule books. * Assessment and Treatment of Patients with Suicidal Behaviors (American Psychiatric Association) * Assessing and Treating Suicidal Behaviors (American Psychiatric Association) text/html 2012-01-03T10:21:45-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/telephone?rev=1325604105&do=diff NumberVoice443 470 9101Fax410 337 8084 I would prefer that non-clinical matters be handled by email and that you reserve voice communication for clinical matters. Clinical matters relate to symptoms, not to prescriptions or paperwork. In general, I tend to be busier in the afternoon and evening, so you are most likely to get a quick response if you call me in the morning. text/html 2010-05-17T10:34:06-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/telepsychiatry?rev=1274106846&do=diff * I offer telepsychiatry services to established patients only via Skype. * I do not do initial evaluations via the Internet. * You must be a Maryland state resident. * You must fill out a telepsychiatry consent form. * We must have at least one face to face meeting in my office per year. * I reserve the right to terminate telepsychiatry services to any patient at any time if I do not feel that it is safe or meets professional standards of care. * If you are calling me on Skype, please cal… text/html 2009-09-29T18:39:52-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/time_management?rev=1254263992&do=diff Suggested readings Pleas note that while I agree with most of the contents of these books, I don't necessarily agree with everything in them. ---------- My favorite book on time management, the one I use myself. David Allen's got a much better method for keeping track of things than any other books I've read. I certainly don't do everything he says, but I do go back and re-read the book every year or so. This book has reached near-cult status among some engineers. text/html 2009-12-15T11:39:10-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/twitter?rev=1260895150&do=diff My twitter account name is *drpatrickbarta*. This is a public account, accessible to anyone. I keep tweets to three to four times per week and tweet about topics of interest to my patients. text/html 2010-02-10T17:54:54-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/weather?rev=1265842494&do=diff I never close for bad weather. If you cannot get in because of the weather, we can still do something at your appointment time. Please note that my 48 hour cancellation policy applies no matter what the weather. As long as I have a working cell phone or a working internet connection, I will keep my appointments with patients. I believe that it is better to have an appointment, even if in may be somewhat harder to do by phone, or a bit harder to do by Skype, than to skip it altogether. text/html 2009-09-29T20:12:34-04:00 https://www.patrickbarta.com/practice/weight_management?rev=1254269554&do=diff Suggested readings While I agree with most of the contents of these books, I don't necessarily agree with everything in them. ---------- Compulsive eating. ---------- Cognitive behavioral approach to dieting. ----------