Are BHI and CCM Cost Effective Standards for Patient Care?

Behavioral health integration (BHI) is becoming increasingly important as physical health and mental health are being viewed as equally important to a patient’s overall health. However, in addition to examining the benefits of BHI, it might be important to take a look at the financial implications, as well.

BHI integrates both behavioral health with physical health at the primary care level by having patients assessed by both mental health professionals and primary care physicians. Within BHI are various integrated care models, with the collaborative care model (CCM) as the most common. CCM consists of care coordination, patient-centered treatment teams, the direct treatment of illness, evidence-based care, and population-based care. This approach to care is deeply tied to the Patient-Centered Medical Home model, as CCM features a large and collaborative treatment team that engages the patient during his/her treatment.

Although HBI has great potential benefits for patients, it comes with financial implications. According to the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review(ICER), integrated care approaches are exceptionally costly. Although ICER studies show that CCM is far more effective than traditional clinical care, CCM can be more expensive within the first six months to two years following implementation. According to the study, the added expense ranges from $20 to $3,900, depending on where the patient is and the disease with which he/she is diagnosed.

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