Katherine Kirner, ARNP has worked as a primary care provider at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Twisp, WA for the past 12 years. At least an hour from the nearest hospital or referral center, there is a mixture of primary and emergent/crisis care. Frustrated by the lack of psychiatric resources in the area, she returned to school for certification as a PMHNP a few years ago. Now, she is also working as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at a small private practice. She continues to use her behavioral health expertise within the confines of a traditional primary care appointment.
By participating in the Community-Based Integrated Care Fellowship Ms. Kirner looks forward to exploring ways to bring those two worlds together. As her organization moves toward integration of behavioral health and primary care, they are challenged by the geographic isolation of each of their clinics and lack of qualified providers. Ms. Kirner hopes to learn about telehealth and other strategies to provide resources for both patients and clinicians, even in the most remote clinics.
In the future, she would like to see behavioral health strategies used for all aspects of health care – from traditional mental health issues to diabetes and IBS. She is encouraged by the efforts of the University of Washington and other organizations to increase accessibility but acknowledges that there is still significant stigma and resistance on the part of patients. She believes that, through integrated care, we can continue to break down those barriers and normalize the experience of seeking help.