If you’re considering integrating behavioral health care into your practice, establishing an effective collaborative partnership with a health insurer can be a helpful step toward achieving that goal.
Experts from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) and Integrated Health Associates (IHA) shared their experience working together to launch and sustain a behavioral health integration (BHI) program, which incorporates behavioral health services into the primary care setting .
The experts discussed the benefits of such a relationship for patients, physicians, and payers and described how others can approach a similar relationship as part of a webinar, “BHI in Action: Fostering Physician-Health Plan Partnerships”, which is a segment in the “Overcoming Obstacles” Webinar Series.
“Both physician organizations and payers have ideas about integrating behavioral health. We found common interest and common ground,” said Kristyn A. Spangler, LMSW, associate director of the behavioral health program at Trinity Health member IHA, during the webinar. “As we were doing the work, we saw the impact on both patients and providers. And sharing our successes and challenges with Blue Cross provided value and opened up opportunities.”
For example, Spangler said, the partnership with BCBSM helped the IHA financially sustain the behavioral health program and introduced them to others doing the same work. BCBSM also helped shape general expectations for the program along with identifying a single point of contact for when reimbursement questions arose.
The impact on patients
The impact on patients
IHA patients who received integrated behavioral health care showed improvements in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores. The data showed that 60% of PHQ-9 scores and 63% of GAD-7 scores were cut in half within six months.
“One thing I reflect on in the process of doing this for the last six years is: what was it like before and what is it like now after? … This has been a dramatic paradigm shift for us in a good way,” said Corey Dean, MD, associate director of the ambulatory medicine program at St. Joseph Hospital and IHA site medical director for the AIMS Center.
Psychiatrist William Beecroft, MD, is responsible for the medical management of BCBSM’s behavioral health planning and strategy. He told webinar viewers that the collaborative care model has numerous benefits for its members, many of which physicians also see in their patients.
From a BCBSM perspective, BHI can help:
- Streamline the focus of attention.
- Promote coordination between specialties.
- Eliminate the need to make additional appointments.
- Reduce stigma.
- Reduce patient wait time and improve access.
Dr. Beecroft also pointed out that as a psychiatrist, he might see 600 to 800 patients at any one time, but with integrated medical care, a psychiatrist can influence the care of about 2,500 patients.
“We are looking for a practice that is ready to make this transition. Who believe that coordinated care is a way forward and a way to see people whole and want to practice in a coordinated way,” said Dr. Beecroft.
Make it work financially
Make it work financially
According to Dr. Beecroft, BCBSM provides “strong incentives” for physicians and other health professionals to participate along with continuing education to support physicians and their care teams.
By early 2023, BCBSM expects to have trained some 1,400 physicians and other health professionals through its partnership with the University of Michigan and the Michigan Center for Clinical Systems Improvement.
The AMA established the IHB Collaborative with seven other leading medical associations to help physicians create practices that can help treat the whole patient.
This includes the Behavioral Health Integration Compendiumwhich provides healthcare organizations with a proven pathway to delivering integrated behavioral care and ensuring they have the latest actionable information at their fingertips.
