Baptist Health Slashes Behavioral Health Wait Times with Collaborative Model
Beckers Behavioral Health
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Contributed by: Kate Gamble
Summary
Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida, tackled long wait times for behavioral health services, which often reached up to 14 months, by implementing a collaborative care model. This approach integrated primary care physicians, therapists, and psychiatric providers, enabling them to manage low-acuity cases directly in primary care settings. As a result, the health system saw a 30% decrease in behavioral health referrals and significantly improved appointment availability for specialists to just seven to 14 days. This model not only enhanced patient satisfaction by providing treatment in familiar environments but also underscores the potential of integrated care strategies to optimize resource allocation in healthcare.
