Robert C. Smith, MD., author of Has Medicine Lost Its Mind?

Dr. Robert C. Smith Asks: Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? And Offers a Bold Plan for Reform

PORTLAND , OR, UNITED STATES, February 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Mental health care in the United States is failing. In his eye-opening new book, Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? Why Our Mental Health System is Failing Us and What Should Be Done to Cure It (Prometheus Books, March 4, 2025), Dr. Robert C. Smith reveals the alarming inadequacies in how we treat mental illness and calls for an overhaul of the system to give mental health care the priority it deserves.

“Modern health care wreaks havoc on patients with mental disorders,” Dr. Smith explains. “Only 25% of individuals with conditions like depression or substance abuse receive care, and most of that care is substandard. Doctors aren’t trained to treat mental illnesses with the same expertise they apply to physical conditions like diabetes or heart disease.”

Dr. Smith points to a shocking reality: mental illness is the most common health condition in America, affecting more people than heart disease and cancer combined. Each year, one in four Americans—roughly 90 million people—experiences a major mental illness, and over a lifetime, that number doubles. Despite this, the health care system continues to treat mental health as an afterthought, with devastating consequences for individuals, families, and society.

The costs of untreated mental illness are staggering. Beyond the human toll of suffering, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse lead to widespread disability, strained relationships, and skyrocketing health care expenses. Society pays the price, with the economic impact reaching into the hundreds of billions of dollars annually.

In Has Medicine Lost Its Mind?, Dr. Smith lays out a clear and actionable path for change. He calls for the creation of a “New Flexner Report,” modeled after the groundbreaking 1910 report that transformed medical education. This initiative would evaluate how medical schools train doctors and ensure they are prepared to treat the full spectrum of their patients’ needs—mental, social, and physical.

Dr. Smith envisions this reform being led by a Presidential Commission, a Congressional Commission, or the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. The goal: to integrate mental health care into standard medical education and restore humanity to the practice of medicine.

Dr. Smith has been widely interviewed by national media ranging from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Today Show and more. He is a regular columnist for Psychology Today.

About the Author

Dr. Robert C. Smith is a nationally recognized leader in evidence-based mental health care and doctor-patient communication. A University Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at Michigan State University, Dr. Smith developed the first patient-centered method to train medical professionals to build strong partnerships with their patients.

Throughout his career, Dr. Smith has been honored with numerous awards, including Master recognition from the American College of Physicians and the George Engel Award for Outstanding Research. He has published more than 150 papers and receives hundreds of academic citations annually for his groundbreaking work.

Dr. Smith’s expertise and dedication to reforming mental health care make Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? essential reading for policymakers, health care professionals, and anyone concerned about the future of mental health in America.

Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? is available for pre-order now and will be released on March 4, 2025.

Joanne McCall
McCall Media Group
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
X
LinkedIn

Robert C. Smith, MD., on Seize the Moment with a Bold Call to Fix Mental Health are

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.