During a November webinar hosted by Becker’s Hospital Review and sponsored by NeuroFlow, three clinical experts discussed the benefits of BHI programs and how technology can support these programs’ implementation. Panelists were:
- Matt Miclette, vice president, clinical operations, NeuroFlow
- Robert Reilly, MD, medical director, risk-based care, The Villages (Fla.) Health
- Shawn Tittle, MD, chief medical officer and chief quality officer, Houston Methodist Baytown (Texas) Hospital
Four key insights were:
- BHI initiatives have benefits for patients, providers and payers. Current demand for behavioral healthcare far exceeds access to and availability of care. To bridge the gap between supply and demand, there is a need to provide behavioral health services in new ways that do not depend on high-touch, in-person visits. This can be achieved by leveraging primary care teams, putting support staff in new roles and using technology to reach more patients.
By integrating behavioral healthcare into primary care, BHI initiatives can expand access and make patients more inclined to seek care. “It puts the patient’s behavioral issues into a broader context of their overall well-being,” Dr. Tittle said. And because behavioral health issues often interfere with how people manage other conditions, integrated behavioral care can benefit patients by helping them achieve other health goals.
These health benefits translate into cost savings. “Somebody with a mental health condition and a chronic health condition is two to three times more expensive than somebody without [a mental health condition],” Mr. Miclette said. He added that BHI initiatives benefit providers, too, by reducing burnout thanks to the satisfaction derived from working as part of a team.
- When standing up a BHI initiative, communicating its cost-saving value is a good place to start. The value of BHI programs, especially to accountable care organizations, lies in these initiatives’ impact on revenue, which is driven by risk-adjusted care coding where behavioral health conditions represent an additional risk. “There is a subset of patients whose medical costs are largely driven by [unaddressed] behavioral health conditions,” Dr. Reilly said.
- Technology partners can help providers support BHI initiatives. Because many communities do not have enough psychiatrists to care for people with behavioral health issues, technology vendors whose solutions integrate with primary care workflows and do not put an additional burden on already overburdened primary care providers can be valuable partners. “Good technology partners are flexible, willing to work with you to figure out ways of engaging the patients and have go-to folks that help with EMR integration issues,” Dr. Reilly said.
Mr. Miclette added that from a technology partner’s perspective, it is important to be aligned on outcomes and incentives “We’re not steamrolling in — no partner should run in and say, ‘This is how we do things.'”
- To be successful, a BHI program must use the right metrics. One relevant set of metrics for evaluating the success of such programs is a reduction by 50 percent or more in the indicators for ongoing tracking, using the PHQ-9 depression questionnaire or similar tools. Other metrics include tool scalability, as care centers expand, and patient and provider satisfaction.
“Leveraging technology is the only way we’re going to be able to successfully integrate [behavioral healthcare] into primary care on a broad scale,” Dr. Tittle said. “If we can address things like anxiety, depression and substance abuse in the primary care office in an integrative manner, I think we’re going to see it on our bottom line.
To register for upcoming webinars, click here.
