An Innovative Five-Step Patient Interview Approach for Integrating Mental Healthcare into Primary Care Centre Services (AlKhathami Approach)

Abstract

Mental health problems are often inadequately diagnosed and managed in routine primary healthcare (PHC) services. The new Five-Step Patient Interview approach (the AlKhathami approach) is comparable to psychiatric interviews and is more accurate than current screening tools for identifying patients’ degrees of psychological stress. This will assist in integrating the screening and management of psychological stress and common mental health problems among patients seeking PHC services. It is a valid and reliable tool for integrating mental healthcare into PHC and family practice services. The Five-Step approach offers an opportunity to provide mental health services in busy clinics (5–8 min duration). It improves physician-patient communication by encouraging the exploration of patients’ perspectives. It plays a role in controlling chronic organ diseases and physical complaints. It also reduces the frequency of patient health services, enhances the satisfaction of patient healthcare providers, and reduces unnecessary investigations and medications, thereby safeguarding healthcare resources.