URMC / Psychiatry / Our Divisions / Medicine in Psychiatry Services

Medicine in Psychiatry Services (MIPS)

Our Mission

MIPS aims to be:

a community leader for comprehensive healthcare targeted to patients with concomitant medical conditions and psychiatric illnesses, including substance use disorders
a national center of innovation, education and research focused on integrating medical, psychiatric and social services.

Healthcare innovation is needed to address the significant health disparities faced by patients with psychiatric conditions. The University of Rochester’s department of Psychiatry is unique in that it has its own division of Medicine in Psychiatry Services (MIPS) to address the often under-recognized medical needs of psychiatry patients.

MIPS division faculty members are trained in family medicine and internal medicine and come with expertise in primary and acute medical care. Some have additional training in addiction medicine, mental health or geriatrics.

All are actively involved in education and quality improvement initiatives to improve medical care for patients with medical and psychiatric conditions.

MIPS clinical services include a patient-centered primary care medical home and two acute medicine units (30 beds) for adults with medical conditions and concurrent psychiatric conditions.

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The interdisciplinary approach of MIPS includes close collaboration with colleagues in nursing, social work, psychology, psychiatry, pharmacy, substance and recovery counseling, and peer support.

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Patient Care

We are committed to interdisciplinary collaboration and partnering with patients and their families to provide care that is accessible and individualized.

Medicine in Psychiatry Service - Primary Care (MIPS-PC)

This national model delivers primary medical care within the behavioral health and chemical dependency treatment settings, providing comprehensive, integrated, more consistent care to individuals at high risk of chronic diseases.

Inpatient Medicine in Psychiatry (IMIP)

The specialized inpatient unit works closely with the MIPS Primary Care Team to offer high-quality, comprehensive, and compassionate care for patients with acute medical conditions requiring hospitalization.

Substance Use, Infection Treatment and Support (SUMMITS)

A specialized unit providing acute medical care to adults with substance use.

Interdisciplinary rounds

An important and unique feature of both the inpatient medical units and the outpatient primary care clinic is the structured interdisciplinary approach to patient care. Patients’ health needs are considered in the context of their individual behavioral, psychiatric, social, and functional needs.

To achieve this goal, the inpatient teams hold daily interdisciplinary discussion meetings about each patient. Similarly, the primary care team has daily interdisciplinary huddles to discuss the patients that will be seen in the clinic.

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Education and Training

MIPS is a required rotation for University of Rochester psychiatry residents in their first year, and an elective rotation for University of Rochester internal medicine residents, who can also choose to participate in the Medicine in Psychiatry Track, which provides longitudinal training and scholarship opportunities in MIPS.

MIPS is also popular for elective rotations among medical students, nursing students, family medicine residents and other trainees from the University of Rochester and nearby institutions.

MIPS educational opportunities:

Our Research

Many faculty and staff in the MIPS division are actively involved in clinical research related to the MIPS mission. Below are examples of important ongoing and previous research.

Laboratory of Integration Services for Complex Needs (LISCN) seeks to study patient’s needs and priorities across the biomedical, psychiatric and social spheres and develop innovative solutions for integrated care.

Publications

Padrino, S., Chan, A. C., van Schijndel, M., & Wittink, M. (2024). Medical Psychiatry Units: a Delphi consensus approach to defining essential characteristics. Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaclp.2024.09.004

Gensler, L.,Kim, S.; Pinto, C.,Padrino, S., Wittink, M. (September 20, 2024) Medical Psychiatry Units (MPUs) in Cultural Context: Lessons from MPUs in the Netherlands, the United States and Korea. [Conference presentation]. ICPM World Congress,Tuebingen, Germany.

Rigney, E., Schild, L., Wittink, M.; Brazill, K., Fulle, N., Scoville, B., Eck, Harrison. (October 4, 2024). Using a Patient Priorities Tool to Engage Patients in their Care: From Gangrene to Clean, a Case Exemplar [Conference presentation]. Association of Medicine and Psychiatry Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, WI.

Scoville, B., Fulle, N., Rigney, E., Schild, L., Wittink, M., (October 4, 2024) Feasibility Study of an iPad-based Patient Priorities Tool on a MedPsych Unit. [Conference presentation]. Association of Medicine and Psychiatry Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI.

Choi, J. J., Maeng, D. D., Wittink, M. N., Olivares, T. E., Brazill, K., & Lee, H. B. (2024). Enhanced Primary Care for Severe Mental Illness Reduces Inpatient Admission and Emergency Room Utilization Rates. Population Health Management.
https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2024.010

Wittink, M., Chan, A. C., Padrino, S., & Silverstein, S. M. (2023). The undervalued potential of medical-psychiatry units to improve care for people with severe mental illnesses. Psychiatric Services, 74(9), 991-993.
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202200039

Wittink, M. N., McDaniel, S. H., Rosenberg, T., Qiu, P., & Waller, C. (Eds.). (2022). Real-world implementation of the biopsychosocial approach to healthcare: Pragmatic approaches, success stories and lessons learned.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1026415

Choi J, Wittink MN, Maeng, D, Olivares, T, Lee, HB. (2022, November) Embedding Primary Care Clinic within Community Mental Health Services Reduces All-Cause Hospitalizations and Emergency Department (ED) Visits for Patients with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). [Conference Presentation] Presented at the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry annual meeting.

Bobeda E, Ainsworth A, Rigney E, Hart J, Newell L, Tsun Z, Olivares T, Wittink MN. (2022, September 7-9) Delivering Medical Care to Patients in Psychiatry: Moving from Interdisciplinary to Transdisciplinary Care” [Conference Presentation] Presented at the World Congress of the International Conference of Psychosomatic Medicine, Rochester NY.

Chan A, Padrino S, Wittink MN. (2022, September 7-9) Improving Medical Care for Patients with Mental Illnesses: Comparison of Three Medical-Psychiatric Units in the United States” [Conference Presentation] Presented at the World Congress of the International Conference of International Psychosomatic Medicine, Rochester NY.

Perlis, L. T., Lamberti, J. S., & Miedlich, S. U. (2020). Glucagon-Like Peptide Analogs Are Superior for Diabetes and Weight Control in Patients on Antipsychotic Medications: A Retrospective Cohort Study. The primary care companion for CNS disorders, 22(1), 19m02504.
https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.19m02504

Wittink, M. N., Cross, W., Goodman, J., Jackson, H., Lee, H. B., Olivares, T., ... & Caine, E. D. (2020). Taking the long view in an inpatient medical unit: a person-centered, integrated team approach for patients with severe mental illnesses. Psychiatric Services, 71(9), 885-892.
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201900385

Pudalov, L. R., Swogger, M. T., & Wittink, M. (2018). Towards integrated medical and mental healthcare in the inpatient setting: what is the role of psychology?. International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 30(6), 210–223.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2018.1552125

AugensteinTara, M., PigeonWilfred, R., DiGiovanniSue, K., BrazillKevin, P., OlivaresTelva, E., LeeHochang, B., & WittinkMarsha, N. (2020). Creating a novel inpatient psychiatric unit with integrated medical support for patients with COVID-19. NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery.
https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.20.0249

Interested in conducting research within our Medicine in Psychiatry services?

Looking for more information and support on how best to work with our clinical staff to recruit patients receiving acute and primary medical care?

We will provide; consultation for clinical investigators interested in conducting research within our Medicine in Psychiatry (IMIP) services, including feedback about project proposals, consultation around the logistics related to launching research projects within our unique clinical settings, and assistance collaborating with our clinical teams.

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