Need for Integrated Health Care

What is Integrated Health Care?
Integrated health care, often referred to as interdisciplinary health care, is an approach characterized by a high degree of collaboration and communication among health professionals. What makes integrated health care unique is the sharing among team members of information related to patient care and the establishment of a comprehensive treatment plan to address the biological, psychological, and social needs of the patient. The interdisciplinary health care team includes a diverse group of members (e.g., physicians, psychologists, social workers, occupational and physical therapists), depending on the needs of the individual.

Who Benefits from Integrated Health Care?
The benefits of an integrated health care approach extend to patients, caregivers, providers, and the health care system. Research indicates that integrated health care is effective in reducing depressive symptoms. Further evidence suggests that coordinated care, which integrates psychologists and other mental health providers within primary care, can enhance access to services, improve quality of care, and lower overall health care expenditures.

In What Settings Can Integrated Care Be Used?
Integrated health care delivery can occur in multiple settings to benefit individuals across the lifespan. These settings include primary care, specialized medical settings (e.g., rehabilitation units, cardiology, and surgical centers), long-term care settings, and community-based health and social service sites. The integrated health care team often functions differently according to the setting. However, mutual respect and communication are critical at all sites.

What Contributions Do Psychologists Make To An Integrated Health Care Team?

Conduct cognitive, capacity, diagnostic, and personality assessments that differentiate normal processes from pathology, side effects of medications, adjustment reactions, or combinations of these problems;
Offer behavioral health assessment and treatment that provide individuals with the skills necessary to effectively manage their chronic conditions;
Diagnose and treat mental and behavioral health problems (e.g., depression, suicide risk, anxiety disorders, addiction, and insomnia);
Offer consultation and recommendations to family members, significant others, and other health care providers;
Contribute research expertise to the design, implementation, and evaluation of team care and patient outcomes; and
Develop interventions that are responsive to specific individual and community characteristics that may impact the treatment plan.

Adapted from the APA Blueprint For Change: Achieving Integrated Health Care for an Aging Population. To view the full report, please visit http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/blueprint_report.pdf.