Howard M. Segal, MD

My endeavor is to carefully help people without doing harm, and I do so as well as the best of my colleagues. My profession Psychiatry is not an exact science, but there is quite a bit of science to prove that many people suffer with reliably definable psychiatric conditions and these conditions are often very responsive to treatment. Medication can be part of this treatment in appropriate cases.

I graduated with distinction from George Washington University in 1986, Bachelor of Science with a major in Zoology, minor in Psychology. I received my MD from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in 1990 and during this time achieved membership in Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society. I completed my internship and adult psychiatry residency at University of Chicago in 1993 and my fellowship in Child-Adolescent Psychiatry at University of Illinois Medical Center in 1995. I am a Diplomate of The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry 1995 re-certified in 2006 and in ChildAdolescent Psychiatry 1996 re-certified in 2007.

I am not in network for any insurance plan but I will help in whatever way I can to get treatment covered by your insurance. I spend at least 2 hours weekly defending my treatment plans to allow my patients to get appropriate coverage from their insurance. I find the current system that requires physicians to justify their carefully chosen treatment plans to comply with illogical, computer generated guidelines to be an incredible waste of medical resources and almost always an injustice to the patient. This is one of the many reasons I refuse to be an in-network provider for any insurance plan. The insurance companies have a vested interest in denying medical coverage whenever possible, or in trying to alter a physician's recommendations to save a few dollars. In the process they put a huge burden on physicians. pharmacies and patients. The net result is actually an increase in use of health care resources.

I use humor, if appropriate, as a therapeutic modality. It is a healthy defense in many but not all cases. I realize that when someone makes the decision to see me, it means that they and or a loved one is suffering. So I take each case very seriously.

I strongly believe in the value of psychotherapy of various modalities, depending on the situation. In most cases I provide psychiatric management in conjunction with a psychologist or social worker who does the therapy. I provide some supportive therapy whenever possible. I also believe lifestyle issues i.e. sleep, diet, exercise, alcohol or substance use are very often crucial factors that must be addressed in almost all cases.

I never judge patients and never consider myself in any way to be better than my clients. This is perhaps my best trait as a psychiatrist and it comes very naturally.