May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness for those living with behavioral health illnesses and to help reduce the stigma associated with treating addiction and mental health. It is also a time to highlight the immense impact behavioral health hospital integration can have on community outcomes. Research now demonstrates the benefit of integration for patients experiencing both physical and mental illnesses.1
Unfortunately, stigma surrounding mental health and mental health treatment have led many individuals to remain hesitant to seek help. By addressing the stigma head on, we can evolve the public’s perception of the need for, and benefit of, behavioral health services.
To effectively adapt to these shifting patient needs, hospitals are partnering with a focused expert to help obtain and successfully integrate behavioral health resources and best practices. This is especially critical as the demand for these services continues to increase in the coming years – requiring more specialty hospitals, programs and highly-trained staff.
Additionally, behavioral health programming will help hospitals operate more efficiently. Since a majority of behavioral health patients don’t have proper access to care, they are turning to emergency departments for treatment – placing strain on a service line already in high demand.
Through a contract management or joint venture partnership, hospitals can seamlessly add or expand their behavioral health offering to patients across the care continuum.
Lifepoint Behavioral Health is dedicated to improving access to this treatment by helping to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking help. We are also dedicated to providing comprehensive behavioral health education to communities and hospitals to help make sure those who need it are aware of its benefits.
We do this by leveraging our expert medical, mental health, substance use and operational skills to help improve our partners' clinical and behavioral health outcomes while lowering long-term patient costs.
To learn more about how we can benefit your hospital’s service offering and outcomes, visit our website.
References:
- (2019) Behavioral Health Integration: Treating the whole person. American Hospital Association, https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2019/06/Market_Insights-Behavioral_Health_Report.pdf
