Integrated care is a hot topic these days. With good reason. Patients who suffer from combined physical health issues as well as mental health problems have two to three times the utilization of health services as cohorts without behavioral health issues. Furthermore, there is little evidence the increased utilization results in better outcomes. Combining integrated care with behavioral health is one of the first steps in solving these problems. It has the hope of improving the care network for these individuals to respond quicker to needs and prevent crisis situations.
A primary goal at Sage Neuroscience Center is to improve health outcomes and limit need for higher levels of care of emergency rooms and hospitals. This is what has led us to engage an integrated care model. Sage has treated more than 11,000 people this past year and those numbers continue to grow. Such a volume will support services within our clinic network.
Integrated Care at Sage Neuroscience Center
On June 3 2015, Sage Neuroscience Center will open a 3,000 square foot integrated care clinic with six exam rooms. This will be staffed by a nurse practitioner, two physician assistants and supervised by a psychiatrist and internal medicine doctor. As the clinic is within the broader mental health center, patients will have fluid access across the two services and providers will share in treatment planning. We look forward to what will transpire in this new collaboration of services.