TY - JOUR
KW - Financing Health Care
KW - Health Reform
KW - Mental Health/Substance Abuse
KW - Organization and Delivery of Care
KW - primary care
AU - R. M. Clarke
AU - J. Jeffrey
AU - M. Grossman
AU - T. Strouse
AU - M. Gitlin
AU - S. A. Skootsky
A1 - 
AB - Patients with behavioral health disorders often have worse health outcomes and have higher health care utilization than patients with medical diseases alone. As such, people with behavioral health conditions are important populations for accountable care organizations (ACOs) seeking to improve the efficiency of their delivery systems. However, ACOs have historically faced numerous barriers in implementing behavioral health population-based programs, including acquiring reimbursement, recruiting providers, and integrating new services. We developed an evidence-based, all-payer collaborative care program called Behavioral Health Associates (BHA), operated as part of UCLA Health, an integrated academic medical center. Building BHA required several innovations, which included using our enterprise electronic medical record for behavioral health referrals and documentation; registering BHA providers with insurance plans' mental health carve-out products; and embedding BHA providers in primary care practices throughout the UCLA Health system. Since 2012 BHA has more than tripled the number of patients receiving behavioral health services through UCLA Health. After receiving BHA treatment, patients had a 13 percent reduction in emergency department use. Our efforts can serve as a model for other ACOs seeking to integrate behavioral health care into routine practice.
BT - Health affairs (Project Hope)
C5 - Education & Workforce; Financing & Sustainability; HIT & Telehealth; Healthcare Disparities
CP - 8
CY - United States
DO - 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1263
IS - 8
JF - Health affairs (Project Hope)
N2 - Patients with behavioral health disorders often have worse health outcomes and have higher health care utilization than patients with medical diseases alone. As such, people with behavioral health conditions are important populations for accountable care organizations (ACOs) seeking to improve the efficiency of their delivery systems. However, ACOs have historically faced numerous barriers in implementing behavioral health population-based programs, including acquiring reimbursement, recruiting providers, and integrating new services. We developed an evidence-based, all-payer collaborative care program called Behavioral Health Associates (BHA), operated as part of UCLA Health, an integrated academic medical center. Building BHA required several innovations, which included using our enterprise electronic medical record for behavioral health referrals and documentation; registering BHA providers with insurance plans' mental health carve-out products; and embedding BHA providers in primary care practices throughout the UCLA Health system. Since 2012 BHA has more than tripled the number of patients receiving behavioral health services through UCLA Health. After receiving BHA treatment, patients had a 13 percent reduction in emergency department use. Our efforts can serve as a model for other ACOs seeking to integrate behavioral health care into routine practice.
PP - United States
PY - 2016
SN - 1544-5208; 0278-2715
SP - 1487
EP - 1493
EP - 
T1 - Delivering On Accountable Care: Lessons From A Behavioral Health Program To Improve Access And Outcomes
T2 - Health affairs (Project Hope)
TI - Delivering On Accountable Care: Lessons From A Behavioral Health Program To Improve Access And Outcomes
U1 - Education & Workforce; Financing & Sustainability; HIT & Telehealth; Healthcare Disparities
U2 - 27503975
U3 - 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1263
VL - 35
VO - 1544-5208; 0278-2715
Y1 - 2016
ER -