Providing integrated behavioral health services in primary care is now considered a priority for health systems as 60–80% of all primary care visits include a behavioral health component. Integrated care typically involves behavioral healthcare workers, such as social workers and psychologists, working on teams with primary care providers to help address behavioral health and social…
The number of Doctor of Nursing practice-prepared nurses (DNPs) is expected to grow in the coming years as more graduates enter the workforce. However, the role of DNPs outside of academic settings is not well understood. This article described a study conducted using a survey of DNP programs as well as interviews with employers to…
Policies that support graduate medical education (GME) have goals of increasing the proportion of program graduates who remain in generalist practice and, for pediatrics, in subspecialties supported through the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education Program. Policy attention has also focused on promoting practice in primary care health professional shortage areas, and in rural and micropolitan…
More social workers in primary care clinics now work as part of integrated behavioral healthcare (IBH) teams. Understanding how many of these social workers are co-located with primary care physicians is important to ensure that planning and training align with current models of care. This article described a review of the data on social worker…
As one of the largest groups of clinically trained mental health providers in the United States, social workers are increasingly deployed on integrated health teams to address patients’ social determinants of health and provide behavioral health interventions. However, information about the specific content of social work practice in new models of healthcare is limited, and…
Evidence supports that integrated behavioral health care improves patient outcomes. Colocation, where health and behavioral health providers work in the same physical space, is a key element of integration, but national rates of colocation are unknown. This article establishes national colocation rates and analyzes variation by primary care provider (PCP) type, practice size, rural/urban setting,…
Social workers are increasingly employed as part of integrated health teams. However, little is known about what barriers to practice social worker face as part of these interprofessional teams and their practice settings. This article describes a study that surveyed 395 social workers across the country who were employed as part of integrated health teams…
Among the many trends influencing health and health care delivery over the next decade, 3 are particularly important for North Carolina: 1) the transition to value-based care and increased focus on population health; 2) the shift of care from acute to community-based settings; and 3) addressing the vulnerability of rural health care systems. This report…
The current opioid crisis in the United States is a recognized national health emergency. The number of opioid-related deaths has more than quadrupled since 1999. Over 42,000 individuals died from opioid use in 2016 alone. To combat this epidemic, primary care providers are expanding clients’ access to care, particularly to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs, also…
Many patients in ambulatory care settings suffer from knee osteoarthritis, but care and treatment for this condition varies. Little is known about what patient, physician, and practice factors may account for this variation. This article analyzed data from 2007-2015 to examine how often physicians recommended physical therapy, lifestyle counseling, and pain medication to patients suffering…
