Insight Matters
Winter 2006

Candidate for President-Elect
By Brooke Wolf, M.D.

Position Statement

My belief that psychiatrists, when organized, can improve flaws in the mental healthcare system was inspired by my father, Dr. Bernard Matthews. His alliance of psychiatric colleagues convinced Blue Cross of Ohio to cover psychiatric hospitalization for the first time. Through my work in both public and private mental health systems, I have learned the need for psychiatrists to collaborate on solving problems was never greater.

Through the OPA, we can harness our energies and focus on issues that otherwise couldn’t be handled: unrestrained power of health insurance companies (HIC’s), mental health parity, prescribing privileges for psychologists, mental health funding cutbacks, and public misperceptions about mental illness. We can provide education, public mental health information and a forum for collaborating with other physicians, healthcare professionals and legislators. We must advocate for mental health courts and safe group homes. It is unconscionable that the Ohio ’s largest mental hospital is the jail.

OPA efforts must focus on two major issues: access and accountability. Private and public system patients must have access to our best medicines and treatment advances. Psychiatrists continue to be accountable for providing safe patient care. HIC’s and state agencies must be accountable for providing the benefits that their contracts or mandates, respectively, guarantee. The public mental health system is monitored by the Mental Health Board, but HIC’s have no effective monitoring of their clinical behavior.

Since I have been active on the OPA council, Chairman of the OPA Practice Committee, and President of the Cleveland Psychiatric Society (CPS), I have accomplished several goals. With the help of the CPS, I was able to instigate investigation of HIC’s by the Ohio Insurance Commissioner. Through colleagues, I discovered a precedent for a law that we need in Ohio , the California Knox-Keene Act. This law mandates a Department of Managed Healthcare with an Advisory Board of independent physicians which monitors the clinical behavior of HIC’s. It has the power to fine or to revoke the licenses of HIC’s if they do not meet reasonable criteria for medical necessity or employ fair business and review practices. The OPA is now exploring possibilities of passing a similar law in Ohio . I have begun physician meetings with Ohio Senator Spada, sponsor of the Parity Bill, who expressed an interest in sponsoring such legislation. A resolution is planned asking support from the OSMA.

We need to hold HIC’s medical directors responsible for the clinical behavior of reviewers under their supervision. Two medical directors have received letters from the OPA advising them to improve. The OPA Practice Committee is advocating reporting them to the State Medical Board for ethics violations. We are exploring what’s necessary to form a legal entity to bargain with HIC’s regarding fees.

As a result of these efforts, I am privileged to have been nominated as a candidate for OPA president. As president, I would be in a stronger position to pursue these initiatives. I cannot promise success on all fronts. I can promise that no one would work harder for the cause.

Biographical materials

Education/training/board certification

B.S., University of Michigan/Honors College/Phi Beta Kappa, 1968

Yale University Medical School, 1968-1969

M.D., Temple University Medical School, 1969-1972

Internship - Medical College of PA, 1972-73

Residency – Cedars Sinai Medical Center , L.A. , 1973-1975

Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, June 1986

Professional activities

North Coast Mental Health Associates, President, 1995- present

Private Practice of General Psychiatry, 1979-present

Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, 1992-present

Geauga Community Mental Health Center , Psychiatric Consultant, 1977-1979

Metropolitan General Hospital Outpatient Dept., Staff Psychiatrist, 1976-1977

Consultant Juvenile Court , L.A. , 1975-1976

Hospital medical staff offices

President of Medical Staff, Laurelwood Hospital, 1995-1997

Vice President of Medical Staff, Laurelwood Hospital, 1993-1995

President of Medical Staff, Windsor Hospital, 1988-1991

Medical Director positions

Chief of Division of Psychiatry, Hillcrest Hospital , 2005 – present

Director of Emergency Room Psychiatric Services, Lakewood Hospital , Lakewood, Ohio, 1995-1999

Medical Director of Women’s Connection, Laurelwood Hospital , Cleveland, Ohio, 1995-1997

Medical Director, Laurelwood Counseling Center , Cleveland, Ohio, 1992-1995

Medical Director of Clinical Services, Laurelwood Hospital, 1991-1992

Associate Medical Director, Windsor Hospital, 1986-1991

Medical association memberships and offices

Cleveland Psychiatric Society, President, 2004-present

Cleveland Psychiatric Society, President-Elect, 2003-2004

Cleveland Psychiatric Society, Secretary, 2000-2004

Cleveland Psychiatric Society, Chairman, Committee of Economic Affairs, 1998-2004

Cleveland Psychiatric Society, Executive Committee Member, 1998-present

Cleveland Psychiatric Society, Member, 1998-present

Ohio Psychiatric Association, Chairman, Psychiatric Practice Committee, Jan.2005-present

Ohio Psychiatric Association, Councilor from Cleveland Chapter, 2000-2005

Ohio Psychiatric Association, Member, 1998-present

OPPAC Member, 2000-present

American Psychiatric Association, Member, 1998-present

The American College of Forensic Examiners , Member, 1998-present

Cleveland Academy of Medicine, Member, 1980-1985

Geauga County Medical Society, Member, 1976-1980

Ohio State Medical Association, Member, Jan.2005-present and 1976-80

Ohio State Medical Association, Alternate OPA Delegate to OSMA Convention, 2005

OSMAPAC Member, 2005-present

Other organizations

Chairman of Board, Florence Matthews Center for Women, 2004-present

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