When more and more people are struggling with mental health challenges the integrated healthcare model is gaining in popularity as a successful method of treating the whole person in an effective and easily accessible manner.
What is Integrated Care?
Simply put, integrated care occurs when physical and behavioral healthcare professionals team up to provide complete medical services for patients. This model treats all aspects of a person’s health — physical, emotional, behavioral, mental, spiritual, and social.
“Here at Judson Center, we collaborate to provide care coordination,” explains Jamila Stevens, the nonprofit agency’s Director of Integrated Care Services. “Our primary care nurse practitioner works in partnership with our psychiatrist, who works in partnership with our therapist. They all work together to support our consumers. We’re housed in one place where a consumer can come and get all of their services at one time. Our staff meets constantly and has case consultations on a regular basis to make sure that coverage is appropriate and that we’re all in alignment with the patient’s needs.”
Convenient Access to Health Care
Since mental health is directly tied to an individual’s overall health outcomes, an integrated care setting enables people to check in on their mental and physical well-being in a one-stop location, reducing the stigma surrounding mental health services.
“Mental health services are accessible to all, and most people need some level of support as we saw throughout the pandemic,” says Stevens. “Being able to access that in an integrated care clinic like ours where there’s one lobby breaks down that stigma so that you can come here and get mental health services, and no one is aware of why you’re here. In addition, when many people who struggle with mental and physical health issues put off getting regular care, they end up in the hospital, emergency room, and inpatient facilities. Having this model where you can come every month and see your psychiatrist and every other week see your therapist and every quarter or every year you can get your physical exam — get all the things that you need in one place — you’re less likely to need to go to the ER because you have it all in one place.”
Preventative Care is Important
Not only does integrated care help reduce the need for emergency visits, but it also makes it easier for consumers of all ages to receive routine overall care.
“Prevention is the key to health,” said MedNetOne Associate Medical Director Elizabeth Haberkorn, who is a family nurse practitioner at Judson Family Health Clinic. “We like to emphasize those appointments for pre-employment physicals and well-woman visits, any screenings, vaccinations, all of that preventative medicine that goes a long way and people don’t typically make time for. It’s that day-to-day healthcare that really gives someone help in the long run.”
“We offer all of the amenities that any primary healthcare clinic would provide,” adds Stevens. “For the younger generation that includes back-to-school physicals, physicals for sports, immunizations, anything that a family would need. Our lobby is a central location. So, it’s family-oriented and all are welcome.”
Integrated Care is the Future of Healthcare
The integrated care model is a worldwide trend in healthcare that benefits patients, caregivers, providers, and the larger health system. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), integrated care reduces depressive symptoms, enhances access to services, improves the quality of care, and lowers overall healthcare costs.
“Integrated care is pretty wonderful,” Haberkorn says. “We have bi-weekly meetings with psychiatry and also with behavioral health for our shared patients. A lot of outpatient facilities don’t have that kind of care coordination. The fact that we can offer that kind of care for our patients is pretty cool.”
“Integrated care is an emerging practice here in Michigan, and I think it’s amazing that Judson Center is being innovative in their approach because I do think it’s the future,” says Stevens. “It fits well with your life. We all are pulled in so many different directions, and you can come somewhere where you can get all of your needs met. And with an integrated care clinic, you know that there are no gaps. I think that’s the number one reason why people should pay attention. When you have all of your care providers in one place and they’re working together, you’re going to get better healthcare.”
Start your Integrated Care journey at Judson Center Health today!