Michele Rowsome, ARNP functions as a behavioral consultant within a community based outpatient VA primary care clinic in Mount Vernon. She has worked within the VA system for 13 years.
Because of her role as ‘prescriber’ on a Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) team, Ms. Rowsome has a built-in and vested interest in integrated care. She hopes to gain clinical skills that will help improve patient outcomes, and knowledge about how to more fully integrate with and consult with primary care providers.
Ms. Rowsome hopes that her participation in this program improves access to and quality of integrated and collaborative care for the rural veterans that she serves.
In 5 years, Ms. Rowsome sees integrated care as busier and more consultative in nature, because there will be strong buy-in from primary care providers. She also views it as a very efficient and cost-effective way to provide mental health care to people who may not be willing or able to present to a specialty mental health clinic. She feels that telepsychiatry has the potential to be an excellent avenue for connecting with patients who live in a rural setting so that they have appropriate access to the care they need.