What does PRIME-MD stand for?

• A. Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders
• B. Primary Medical Evaluation of Mental Disorders
• C. Primary Care Examination of Mental Disorders
• D. Psychiatric Review of Mental Disorders

Answer: (A)

PRIME-MD stands for Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders. This name reflects its purpose: a structured approach for clinicians in a primary care setting to assess and identify common mental health conditions during a general medical visit. The emphasis on “Primary Care” signals where the tool is used, while “Evaluation” indicates a broad assessment across potential mental disorders rather than a single exam or psychiatric specialty focus, and “Mental Disorders” specifies the conditions it addresses.

The alternative phrasings would change the sense of the tool. A phrase with “Medical Evaluation” would imply a broader medical check rather than specifically mental health, while “Examination” suggests a physical exam, and “Psychiatric Review” points more directly to psychiatry rather than a primary care framework. PRIME-MD was designed to help non-psychiatric clinicians screen for and evaluate mood, anxiety, somatoform, and related disorders within primary care, guiding appropriate further assessment or referral.