Medical Services Use and Costs In two different models of Mental Health Integration in Primary Care

What is it about?

Using Medicaid claims for patients with depression in primary care in a large urban health system, we analyzed health care utilization such as Emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, medical speciality visits and costs for these patients up to 2 years after receiving a clinically significant depression score on the PHQ9. In this study, depressed patients in Collaborative care model had significantly less healthcare utilization than those in colocation model. Although cost was lower in the 2 year period for patients in the collaborative care model, it was not statistically significant.

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Why is it important?

This is the first study that compares costs and utilization for 2 active behavioral health integration models in primary care, It is also focused on patients with Medicaid in a population with a collective majority of racial minority groups. This study provides important information to national and state policy makers as well as providers since behavioral integration in primary care is a priority for improving access and quality of behavioral care and continues to gain implementation momentum.