Meriter's Adult Psychiatry Program
Meriter Hospital Adult Psychiatry, 1 East
202 S. Park Street
Madison, WI 53715
General Information: (608) 417-5330
Meriter Behavioral Services Administration: (608) 417-5336
Offering Help and Hope During Life's Troubling Times
 The National Institute of Mental Health reports that about one in five adults in America suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. In addition, four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the United States are mental disorders - major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
For nearly 40 years, Meriter Hospital has offered inpatient mental health services for adults with psychiatric illnesses. The program provides the highest quality of services to improve the health status of patients, to support the patient and family throughout the patient's recovery and to work with the community to offer patients and families additional resources outside of the hospital.
Meriter offers respectful, clinically effective treatments through the collaborative efforts of a team that includes psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, mental health specialists and hospital chaplains. Other appropriate medical professionals provide services to inpatients when necessary.
Inpatient Psychiatric Treatment
 Meriter Hospital's Adult Inpatient Psychiatric program is designed for those whose mental illness symptoms call for around-the-clock hospitalization for stabilization. The program provides safety, a healing environment, a caring professional staff and effective treatment approaches.
Our 16-bed Program Unit offers semi-private rooms and several day rooms for dining and casual activities. When a greater emphasis on safety and reduced stimulation is required, we assign patients to a locked and secure 4-bed Acute Unit; this area has two private rooms and one semi-private room, plus a day room for dining and casual activities.
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New Treatment for Severe Depression
People who have long suffered from severe depression have a new therapy option. The Food and Drug Administration has recently approved Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy for treatment of resistant depression. Meriter is now offering VNS as a treatment for select patients.
Major depressive disorder affects nearly 19 million Americans every year, making it a huge national health problem. One fifth of these people do not respond to multiple treatments, including psychotherapy, antidepressants or electroconvulsive therapy. They either don't work or stop working over time.
During surgery a small pulse generator about the size of a pocket watch-size is implanted near the collar bone - much like a cardiac pacemaker. A thin, thread-like wire, attached to the generator runs under the skin to the left vagus nerve, one of 12 cranial nerves that serve as the body's "information highway." It device is popularly referred to as "a pacemaker for the brain."
The battery-operated generator sends mild, brief electrical pulses every five minutes to the vagus nerve, which transmits them to brain areas that control motivation, mood, appetite, sleep - all affected by depression. Studies show the therapy may modulate neurotransmitters that are thought to help regulate mood.
In clinical studies of VNS Therapy, more than half of the patients who had experienced an average of 25 years of major depressive disorder and multiple treatment trials realized some clinical benefit, one third of the patients had at least a 50 percent improvement in their depression, and one out of six was depression-free after one year and two years of treatment with VNS Therapy. Patients also reported significant improvements in quality-of-life areas, such as vitality, mental health, emotional well-being, and social functioning.
For more information about this exciting advancement, contact Meriter Psychiatry at (608) 417-5336. You can also learn more at the VNS Therapy Web site.
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Conditions We Treat
A variety of mental conditions can warrant an inpatient psychiatric stay. Patients who come to Meriter for help include people with:
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Borderline personality disorder
- Anxiety disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
A person who is admitted for an inpatient stay often has one or more of the following conditions:
- Overwhelming depression
- Strong thoughts or urges of suicide, or a recent suicide attempt
- Strong thoughts or urges of harming others, or a recent attempt to do so
- A need for initiation to or adjustment of psychiatric medication
- Difficulty functioning due to symptoms of mental illness
Assessment/Screening
Meriter's personalized mental health services begin with a full evaluation to identify the scope and severity of problems. Depending on each patient's symptoms, the evaluation may include:
- Psychiatric evaluation
- Psychological testing
- Neurological examination and testing
- Educational assessment
- Behavioral assessment
- Independent living skills assessment
- Medication trial/evaluation
- Social network and resources assessment
- Medical lab evaluations
- Family assessment
We may share evaluation results with community professionals, especially in cases when it is appropriate to use the results in developing outpatient treatment plans. We respect our patients' right of confidentiality, and only share information with their permission.
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Treatment at Meriter
We've designed treatment to decrease symptoms and improve communication skills, functional ability and coping strategies. Our goal is to help patients develop strategies to manage their lives in a more healthy, positive manner. Typical treatment activities include:
- Communication skills training
- Assertiveness training
- Stress and anxiety management strategies
- Occupational therapy
- Medication management and education
- Education and support for family members
- Education of and referral to additional community services
- Individual problem solving and safety planning
Referrals
Psychiatrists who have admitting privileges at Meriter may admit patients to the inpatient unit; they also may choose to direct their patient's care while they are hospitalized at Meriter. Psychiatrists with admitting privileges may also transfer care of their patients to one of Meriter Adult Psychiatry's hospitalist psychiatrists, who are on the unit daily working with patients.
Payment/Insurance
Most insurance policies, Medicare and Medicaid include coverage for inpatient services. If you have questions about your coverage, please contact your insurance carrier.
Please note if you are a member of Physicians Plus and your primary care physician is from UW Health Physicians, you must seek precertification for mental health services through the Mental Health Case Management and Consultation System at (608) 282-8960 or 1-800-683-2300.
Related Services
Meriter Hospital also offers:
- Mental health consultation services for patients hospitalized on Meriter's medical and surgical units, and for patients seen in our Emergency Services Department.
- Mental health services for children and adolescents at a new facility in southwest Madison.
- NewStart, a chemical dependency treatment program for adults and adolescents. NewStart's intensive inpatient AODA treatment program is housed in the Meriter Adult Psychiatry Program at Meriter Hospital.
Accreditation
Meriter's mental health programs are certified by the State of Wisconsin-Bureau of Quality Assurance and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
We're Here to Help
For more information about Meriter Hospital’s Adult Inpatient Psychiatry program, call (608) 417-5330.
10/8/2008
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