Hospitals can improve behavioral and physical health coordinated care by supporting physicians, co-locating services and educating the community about integrated care, according to an Oct. 24 report from the American Hospital Association.
Integrated physical and behavioral healthcare can improve outcomes for patients, decreasing emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Seventy percent of patients with behavioral health disorders also have a medical comorbidity, and 30% of adults with a physical condition also have a mental health condition, according to the AHA.
An Oct. 13 study from Independence Blue Cross and Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine found integrating behavioral health with primary care is cost neutral and improved outcomes.
Here are three ways hospitals and health systems can strengthen behavioral and physical health integration, per the AHA.
- Support physicians using behavioral health integration resources from the American Medical Association and other groups.
- Co-locate behavioral health services in primary care offices, or provide access to behavioral providers via telehealth.
- Educate the community about the availability of co-located and integrated services.
Read the full report here.