The Growing Demand of Behavioral Health Integration Solutions: Why it Needs to be Implemented into Primary Care

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Introduction

With the rise in cases of mental illnesses, many people are struggling to get the necessary care and resources they need. Health systems are now prioritizing the integration of behavioral health services into primary care to address the rising demand for mental health services. Behavioral health is conceptually the promotion of well-being, as well as the diagnosis, management, and prevention of mental health. Maintaining one’s behavioral health is important for a healthy lifestyle, as it can significantly impact their overall health and well-being negatively when there is an imbalance. To address this issue, empowering primary care providers with useful tools such as Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) and Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) can help with delivering quality mental health care to patients.

The Burden of Mental Illness and its Impacts on People

Mental illness affects people on a global scale. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 970 million people are living with mental illness across the world. Although there are many individuals who may show early symptoms of mental illness, they do not receive the care they need due to factors such as the lack of mental health professionals, limited access to care, the stigma associated with mental health, and more. In America, over 28 million adults who live with mental illness do not receive mental health care. Without seeking out care, their mental health would continue to deteriorate, impacting their ability to carry out their daily activities, social interactions, and pose a threat to their physical health. This is due to individuals with mental health issues being at higher risk of developing chronic conditions and therefore decreasing their overall quality of life.

Addressing Behavioral Health Needs Through Primary Care

The collaboration of primary care physicians, behavioral specialists, and patients is important in delivering patient-centered care and addressing the burden of mental illness. By incorporating behavioral health services into primary care, providers can empower their patients to use better coping strategies, have improved adherence to interventions/treatment plans, and have greater satisfaction with their healthcare experience. BHI and CoCM can help equip primary care teams to be in an advantageous position that allows them to modify their care plans when patient and workflow demands change, which ensures that the patient’s comprehensive needs are met. Unlike traditional care models, which may not constantly coordinate patients’ care, this approach has primary care providers referring patients to mental health professionals when a need for the service is recognized. Therefore, making the overall process of treating the patient much more efficient.

5 Ways to Successfully Integrate Behavioral Health into Primary Care

  1. Take on a Team-Based Approach to Health Care: The foundation of BHI and CoCM is using a collaborative approach that is carried out by medical and behavioral clinicians in order to deliver integrated care to their patients. Working together with professionals with different fields of expertise can provide valuable insights into what the patient needs and collectively develop a strategy to address the problem. This approach not only can resolve the issue of the patient not showing up to their appointments but also encourages them to seek out assistance.
  2. Enhance Communication Between Healthcare Professionals: To work effectively as a team, there needs to be constant communication between primary care physicians and behavioral specialists in order to stay informed about the patient’s progress. Using tools such as an EHR can help facilitate discussions among the care team which would help indicate the risks the patient has, ways to alleviate the effects of their condition, and achieve the ideal health outcomes for them.
  3. Implement Mental Health Screenings: Having high-quality assessments that accurately identify individuals that are at risk is essential in enabling physicians to diagnose their patients early. By discovering the symptoms, the care team can provide the appropriate treatments to their patients and delay the progression of their condition before it leads to severe health consequences.
  4. Coordinate Care at All Levels: To avoid unnecessary use of healthcare services, reduce medical error rates, and lower the risk of poor health outcomes, care must be coordinated within the care team. BHI and CoCM allow professionals to gain knowledge about the patient’s conditions and provide care for them more efficiently, which can contribute to reduced costs.
  5. Tailoring Treatment Plans to Patient Needs: Developing a care plan that has the capacity for alterations would allow physicians to keep up with the changing demands of their patients and environments. Incorporating patients, families, and caregivers into important decision-making would help indicate what approach is needed if a health concern were to arise and ensure transparency throughout the process.

Benefits of Addressing Behavioral Health

Implementing behavioral health services like BHI and CoCM into primary care settings has been proven to have long-term positive impacts on patients’ well-being and help them adopt healthy lifestyle changes. Here are some additional benefits of BHI and CoCM:

  • Improves Patient Outcomes: With primary care providers being the first point of contact for patients to receive their care, they often notice the symptoms of mental health issues of their patients. For more effective care, using BHI and CoCM in primary care allows for early detection, management, and interventions to be provided to patients before their condition progresses.
  • Increases Access to Mental Health Care: Primary care providers find it easier to incorporate mental health screenings, diagnosis, and care plans into their practice, making it more accessible to patients who require it or at risk of a mental illness.
  • Cost-effective and Adaptable: BHI and CoCM allow practices to adjust their treatment plans as the patient requirements change, allowing them to choose which approach is the most appropriate for them. Many facilities that implemented these initiatives have provided an updated snapshot of the patient’s condition and reported better health outcomes.
  • Enhances Chronic Care Management: Studies have shown that individuals with chronic conditions are more likely to have issues with their mental health. With the convenience of meeting their physicians for their care, they find it easier to manage chronic conditions when these concerns are being treated as well.
  • Reduces Stigma Related to Mental Health: Patients would be able to overcome their hesitation of receiving behavioral treatments and feel more comfortable in environments they are familiar with (such as a primary care setting). In addition, healthcare professionals who advocate for programs that spread mental health awareness can reduce discrimination.
  • Closing Care Gaps: Coordinating with primary and behavioral care providers, can address the gaps between the rise of these cases and the amount of people being able to receive the appropriate care they need. To assist with this process, using screening tools that effectively identify individuals with mental illnesses can help physicians provide care early.
  • Increase Patient and Physician Satisfaction: Patients receive higher quality care and interventions since physicians are addressing their entire well-being, leading them to feel satisfied with their experience. Physicians also experience satisfaction when integrating behavioral health services into their practice since it saves them time and produces promising results.

How Does It Work?

These specialized approaches to healthcare require a care team consisting of a primary care physician, a behavioral healthcare provider, and a psychiatric consultant. By working together, they must provide a detailed care plan that would improve their patient’s quality of life. Here’s how it works:

  • Initial Assessment: The physician would evaluate the patient’s mental state and identify any risks or concerns about their well-being. Once completed, it would be determined if the patient requires any additional tests, behavioral treatments, and would be enrolled into the care program.
  • Working with the Primary Care Team: During the care planning stage, it is important that the care team and the patient work together to develop effective treatments that improve their condition and target their personal health goals.
  • Develop and Administer the Care Plan: Once a comprehensive plan is made, the care team would provide the appropriate services to the patient while being able to update the treatments throughout their healthcare journey if necessary.
  • Consistent Communication and Follow-ups: Patients would be observed to see any improvements in their conditions and see how far they have progressed through their care plan. This is necessary as physicians must be able to detect if they are about to relapse early, providing them with enough time to give an intervention.
  • Track Outcomes: By collecting data, the care team can measure the quality of care, make informed decisions on which method has improved the patient’s health condition, and see how well the program has performed.

How MDLand Can Help

MDLand is dedicated to empowering clinics with the right tools and offering a seamless experience when integrating behavioral health services into their practice. Integrating behavioral health services into primary care settings can help with promoting equal and accessible treatment for a patient’s physical and mental health needs. Our BHI and CoCM modules on iClinic® can help reduce your clinic’s administrative burden by removing the manual process of combining care notes. Behavioral health services also play a vital role in addressing physician burnout as studies have shown physicians using BHI and CoCM are more satisfied with their job and have a higher quality of life. Save costs and remove barriers affecting your patients’ ability to receive quality behavioral treatments. Learn more about our revolutionary healthcare solutions here.