With the success of an initial pilot program, Mercy Health and behavioral health medical group Concert Health have expanded their program to encompass 150 clinics and 1,300 primary care providers specializing in adult and family medicine, women's health, and pediatrics across Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
The partnership provided Mercy Health’s primary care patients with access within 24 to 48 hours to behavioral health services through the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM). It was initially launched in 2021 with a pilot program of 47 providers across nine clinics in Missouri after Mercy’s search for an evidence-based, patient-centered care model led them to Concert. “We quickly realized that the scale and expertise required exceeded our own resources,” said Patty Morrow, vice president of behavioral health services at Mercy, in a statement.
Concert and Mercy pointed to a provider adoption rate of 91 percent, and to date providers have referred over 13,500 patients. In the expanded program, anxiety and depression symptoms decreased within the first 90 days of treatment. By the final treatment, there was an overall decrease in levels of anxiety and depression, and patients also developed lifelong coping skills. For discharged patients experiencing anxiety symptoms, 41percent reached subclinical levels. Approximately 38 percent of patients with depressive symptoms were at subclinical levels upon discharge, the organizations said.
Through the integrated program, patients are assigned to one of Concert’s Care pods where a masters-level clinician interacts with the patients via phone or video. Under the guidance and support of one of Concert's psychiatric consultants, the patient will receive monthly assessments and evidenced based interventions that promote health education and coping skill development. The Concert team communicates and collaborates with the providers to ensure patient engagement and measurable clinical improvement.
“Concert Health's approach is very creative. Instead of a referral out, it brings more experts into the established relationship patients have with their doctors,” said Morrow. “We are seeing great success in remote areas where we are able to provide care to those who may not have access to a specialist clinician or resources. This model, combined with the right technology and connectivity, is allowing us to bridge the gap and provide accessible care to many who would not have had access previously.”
Mercy has 30 acute care hospitals and 14 specialty care hospitals. It is the sixth-largest Catholic health system in the country with $11.6 billion in operating revenue.
San Diego-based Concert Health currently operates in 17 states and has cared for over 52,000 patients.
