Well-rounded patient care calls for integrated management

Date:  July 30, 2010
Categories:  Healthcare Management

Earlier this year, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius spoke about the importance of integrated care management, according to the Baltimore City Paper. The popularity of these models has steadily risen in response to the national healthcare reform.

Sibelius told an audience of mental health professionals that the changes could greatly impact behavioral health.

For years, insurers have argued the right to charge more for mental healthcare than for physical illnesses. With the reform, health insurers must now cover mental disorders, in accordance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.

"If 10 or 20 million Americans were walking around with open wounds, we'd call it a national crisis. But because mental illnesses and addictions can be harder to see, we don't feel the same urgency," said Sibelius, as quoted by the news provider.

Although mental illness does not always produce physical symptoms, professionals say that it must be managed head-on. An integrated care management team can provide well-rounded care to address a patient's needs, both mentally and physically.

These changes underline the importance of adopting medical technology. Health information exchange services can help ease communication between physicians and enable them to adequately care for all aspects of a patient's well-being.