RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Family doctors providing primary care to patients with mental illness in a tertiary care facility JF Canadian Family Physician JO Can Fam Physician FD The College of Family Physicians of Canada SP e440 OP e445 VO 64 IS 10 A1 Rita K. McCracken A1 Laura Fung A1 Anna K. Stratis A1 Kimberley R. Cottick A1 Sarah Dobson YR 2018 UL http://www.cfp.ca/content/64/10/e440.abstract AB Problem addressed Individuals with severe mental illness have an increased burden of physical comorbidities. Physical concerns of patients admitted to hospital for mental health reasons might be addressed by multiple specialists, leading to fragmented care and high costs to the system, when many of these concerns could be addressed by primary care.Objective of program The Family Doctor Outreach Clinic (FDOC) aims to provide rapid consultations for common concerns, to provide consultations for complex chronic disease and addictions, and to identify gaps in community care that contribute to patients’ potential readmission to hospital. The FDOC is a simple and novel collaborative program of care in a tertiary care setting.Program description Members of the Department of Family Medicine at St Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC, have been providing consultation services for patients admitted to the 4 mental health wards (total of 108 beds). Using a prospective cohort of consecutive consultations (N = 104) from July to August 2014, the study team collected data on details of current admissions, connections to community primary care, and reasons for consultations.Conclusion Including family physicians in the care of mental health inpatients, as is done at the FDOC, might avert referrals to specialist services and provide a bridge between acute care and community family practice.