Page 17 - Delaware Medical Journal - May/June 2018
P. 17
TRANSFORMATION IN HEALTH CARE
and prevented smaller and independent practices from participating
to implement the changes. However, the program may lead to lessons
analysis of this “innovation,” namely, are patient outcomes improved and are patients “healthier”? Are the practices able to maintain
their resources and care coordination efforts, as well as expand into
practices that participated?
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION (BHI)
The concept of integrating the emotional/mental well-being of a patient with the physical is not new and would seem to be a natural progression of a patient-centered approach to health care. The unfortunate reality of primary care practice is that physicians are being asked to do more and more regarding behavioral health, without the resources or networking to be successful.
useful models for allopathic medicine and integrating behavioral
but implementation of useful models has been stymied by a variety recognized barriers include: a lack of resources for practices to build partnerships, on both sides of behavioral health and primary care; the
alignment by payers for both behavioral health and primary care services, within a fee-for-service payment model.
contracted through a state request for proposal (RFP) to provide foundational support of effective and sustainable BHI models
that may successfully overcome such barriers and provide a pathway for greater implementation by all providers on both sides. Examples of such models are co-location at a primary care practice — with either employed or independent behavioral health health and primary care professionals, and improved processes
the patient. The initiative has multiple approaches, including individual practice assessment and coaching, web-based learning with webinars and a potential web-based forum, and in-person six months of this technical assistance, and currently there are 14 practices enrolled in Cohort 1. Cohort 2 will start in July.
At the same time, there will be work within the payment
reform component of the SIM grant to address the barrier of reimbursement. As this initiative is currently enrolling, DHCC encourages any interested practice to participate in any part of the initiative. Contact information for HMA is available at the end of the article.
PRIMARY CARE INITIATIVE
One of the goals of the original SIM grant proposal was to provide every Delawarean with a primary care provider. Four years
Del Med J | May/June 2018 | Vol. 90 | No. 5
145
