Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 4, 2018

8 By Andrea Nagel A team of family medicine and behavioral health experts at Kootenai Clinic are working to implement a new program designed to help patients with depression and anxiety. This approach, modeled closely after programs at Mayo Clinic and the University of Washington (UW), integrates behavioral health into the primary care setting, allowing primary care providers, psychiatrists, pharmacists and social workers to work as a collaborative care team to treat patients. “Studies done through Mayo Clinic and UW have found the integrated model helps patients with depression get better faster,” Justin Garrett, D.O., Kootenai Clinic Psychiatry, said. “The studies also found that organizations using this model experienced a reduction in costs for both the health system and patients.” “The social worker is a key component to this model,” Susan Hennige, medical social worker, said. “We are the patient’s point of contact once they start the program.” Patients who participate in the program work closely with the clinic social worker. The social worker checks in with the patient frequently and acts as a liaison between the primary care provider and the patient. This integrated behavioral health program is currently being piloted at Kootenai Clinic Family Medicine Residency with plans to expand it to other Kootenai Clinic primary care offices in the near future. The individualized care patients receive through an integrated care model leads to fewer emergency visits and hospital admissions, and leaves patients feeling more stable outside of their regular doctor visits. “Patients in programs like this see better outcomes,” Susan said. “They feel consistently cared for and know that they have a team of providers who will work together to provide the best possible care.” If you are interested in participating in the integrated behavioral health program, schedule an appointment at Kootenai Clinic Family Medicine Residency by calling (208) 625-6000 . TREATING THE BODYANDMIND Integrating Behavioral Health into Primary Care Helps Patients With Depression and Anxiety