Next year will be the 10th anniversary of CFHA blogging! During the past several years, nearly 600 posts have graced the digital face of our organization with many voices and viewpoints. The blogs have been a source of information and inspiration for our members as they work to advance the field of collaboration and integration […]
Policy change can be hard, slow, and seem daunting. This is especially true at the federal level, but many of the important changes happen at the more accessible state and local levels. For example, Pennsylvania leaders recently helped to change state Medicaid policy to allow licensed professional counselors (LPCs) and licensed marriage and family therapists […]
There is so much good research coming out in the field of integrated care. Trying to keep up with all the new developments can feel like drinking from a fire hydrant. So, to save you time and keep you from overhydrating, your friendly neighborhood blog editor is here to separate the wheat from the chaff. […]
A prescriber-patient miscommunication causes an adverse drug interaction, the nurse administers the wrong immunization to the patient, or the EMR system goes down five times a day. When adverse events like these occur, it might feel like it’s time for a fishing vacation, but what these events really call for is a root cause analysis […]
This post is a two-part series on quality improvement. Check back later this month for the second part. Quality Improvement in Primary Care The use of quality improvement is not a new concept to the medical field as quality improvement teams are often routine in health system settings. Primary care, however, appears to have a […]
When I first began working as a psychologist in primary care, I was embedded in a busy, 14-provider primary care practice in Kansas City with a 35,000 member panel. I developed a canned speech to explain to friends and family exactly what my new job entailed. My explanation was met with confusion, enthusiasm and doubt […]
This is the third in a three-part series on PCBH research. Click here for part 1 and part 2. Research exploring the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model has been increasing in the literature. However, the body of work on this specific model of integrated care is still being built, and many unanswered questions remain. […]
This piece is the second in a series of posts highlight research on the Primary Care Behavioral Health model. Click here for the first post. Why and how did we do this review? My colleagues and I at the VA Center for Integrated Healthcare recently published a systematic review to assess the research evidence on […]
The Department of Defense (DoD) was one of the original adopters of the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model. Over 20 years ago, the United States Air Force (USAF) piloted its “Behavioral Health Optimization Program” or BHOP at a single Air Force Base. Since 1997, the program has expanded across 72 Air Force facilities and […]
At the beginning of my year in the Behavioral Science/Family Systems’ Educator Fellowship (BFEF), I had a gut feeling that I was “hitting the wall.” The burnout week had arrived. This occurred both in my personal and professional life. When I started my job 4 years ago, I hit the ground running and tried to […]
In the United States right now, there are over 14,500 rehabilitation centers for people recovering from drugs and alcohol. These centers offer a range of treatment options, including detox and inpatient or outpatient rehab. With outpatient rehab, addiction specialists and nurse practitioners visit people in their homes, allowing them to continue with their normal routine […]
Patients living today with both complex medical and behavioral health problems are expected to die 25 years earlier than the general population.1 These patients have more medical problems than the general population and a disease burden that increases as behavioral health problems increase. Most patients with behavioral health problems are seen in non-psychiatric medical […]
It’s no secret that the US health care system is expensive and under significant change these days. One part of the system that is receiving a lot of attention in primary care. The evidence suggests that primary care is an excellent investment for payers who want better health outcomes; however, recent data shows that payers […]
Healthy People 2020 is a multi-year, multi-stakeholder effort by the US government to address social determinants of health and disparities. This vision for a healthier country includes specific actions that the United States must take to achieve better health by the year 2020. Some of the goals include: Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable […]
For the tiny town of Cottonwood, Idaho – population 900 people and 1800 cattle – sports were something to rally around. My senior year in high school, we made it to the football state championships. When we took to the field for the championship game, it was breathtaking to see half the town in the […]
As I replay my experiences from the recent CFHA Conference in Houston, two primary themes emerged as key take-home messages. The first, voiced by Executive Director Neftali Serrano in his eloquent plenary address, highlighted the central role of relationships and connections to the organization as exemplified by the mantra (paraphrasing) ‘don’t be afraid to gently […]
Yup, Apple is making the foray into health care. One of the biggest companies on the planet wants to give you access to your medical records using the popular iPhone. This feature will be available once the iOS 11.3 update rolls out later this year. Check out the article link above for details on how […]
This post was inspired by a recent CFHA listserv discussion. If you are reading this and not a CFHA member, the listerv is one of the many amazing benefits of CFHA membership! It usually looks something like this: A face I know well pops into my office door—another staff member in the clinic where I […]
