VALUE-BASED CARE IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH
Alternative Payment Models Support Patients Amid a Growing Behavioral Health Crisis
Value-based care models pay hospitals and providers, in part, on quality and outcomes of care. These models allow Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network (VHAN) to support patients’ mental well-being by bridging the gap between primary care and behavioral health services.
For healthcare providers nationwide, this holistic, coordinated approach to care is only made possible through Medicare’s alternative payment model program.
William's story:
Living with chronic medical conditions can negatively affect patients’ mental health, making it harder for them to manage their symptoms. One patient, William, has multiple chronic health conditions and experiences associated depression, anxiety, and what he calls a “short fuse.” His cardiologist prescribed him an antidepressant, but William needed more clarity about the medication’s purpose and how and where to get his prescription filled.
A nurse care navigator with VHAN offered William comfort and counsel, referring him to a social worker trained in behavioral health intervention for additional assistance. The social worker helped William find a convenient place to fill his prescriptions and provided solution-focused counseling, talking through specific situations that heightened his symptoms and identifying healthy coping methods.
She also discovered that William had seen another psychiatric provider previously and helped him re-establish that relationship for longer-term care. Now, William has the support he needs to lead his healthiest life—mentally and physically.
Value-based care models allow accountable care organizations like VHAN to coordinate with behavioral health services and provide patients with the resources they need to make positive changes for their mental well-being. Without continued support for value-based models, patients like William may not get the personalized care they need.
Watch this video to learn how Care Management programs enable team-based approaches that better meet patients where they are.
This patient story has been de-identified to protect patient privacy consistent with HIPAA – no real patient names are referenced, while the experience described reflects actual events.