Giving Compass' Take:

• Behavioral health integration has proven to be an effective way to improve healthcare services, but cooperation and payment are standing in the way of integration. 

• How can philanthropy help healthcare providers overcome these barriers to improve healthcare? 

• Find out how childhood trauma impacts mental and physical health in adulthood. 

It's been more than 20 years since a landmark Institute of Medicine study reported siloing behavioral and primary health leads to inferior care, yet walls between the two still remain.

A Milliman research report earlier this year found that delayed and avoided behavioral care led to $406 billion in added healthcare costs in 2017.

Patients who see a doctor for a chronic physical condition often have comorbid mental health issues that go unnoticed and untreated, but models for integrating behavioral health into primary care settings have shown improved health outcomes and cost savings.

The Milliman report suggested practices start integrated care models whereby normally isolated healthcare professionals collaborate in a merged practice and identify patients needing behavioral services, jointly co-manage them and participate in shared decision-making.

A small but growing number of providers are trying this approach and finding success.

Kathol, who consults with practices, payers, and employers about behavioral health integration, said the proactive model decreases length of stay by at least a day and saves money. The savings come in part through reduced acute care stays and emergency department visits.

For an integrated model to take flight, a payer needs to partner with both medical and behavioral providers. However, getting buy-in from all three isn't easy.

There also has to be a reimbursement system that pays behavioral health providers properly. One way payers are doing that is creating a system that rewards improved health outcomes and lower costs.

Read the full article about behavioral health integration by Les Masterson at Healthcare Dive.