Today's Practice: Changing the Business of Medicine TP2018Q2DigitalEditionWeb | Page 18

P R A CT I CE M A NA GE M E NT We Can Do Better Dr. Jason Friday, MD One, it’s important to note that best practice for depres- sion care involves a combination of both pharmacother- apy and psychotherapy 14 . Ignorance of this growing epidemic is no longer an excuse. Two, having a robust and trusted referral network is critical. This can be challenging to do, availability of specialty mental health providers for new patients can be a significant challenge and a collaborative effort must be made to assist patients as they navigate the system. Integrating Behavioral Health Within Primary Care There are variety of ways for a primary care practice to integrate behavioral health. Organizations such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality have published models and guidelines for integration and many states, insurance companies, and health care systems have undertaken different manners of integra- tion 15 . In addition, various organizations and consult- ants are working to develop and enhance behavioral healthcare models specific to the primary care setting. meet the author: Dr. Jason Friday, MD Founder, Redemption Psychiatry The specific needs of the primary care practice and its patients should determine the type and level of behavio- ral health integration. Now Is The Time Ignorance of this growing epidemic is no longer an excuse. We as a medical community must begin to allocate time and resources to better understand and address the behavioral health needs of our patients. The economic landscape is shifting as state and national legislation drive requirements for population health, coupled with incentives and penalties for managing the behavioral health of patients. I challenge each of my physician peers within both the psychiatry and primary care space to engage one another, move forward and continue with the integration of behavioral health, and begin the process of improving the health of our patients and our communities. 17 Dr. Jason Friday is the founder of Redemption Psychiatry, a Board-Certified Psychiatrist and a Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist that specializes in treating families and children with emotional and behavioral problems. He obtained his Bachelor of Science at Arizona State University in Life Science with Emphasis in Cell Biology and Physiology in 2004. He went to medical school at the University of Arizona in Tucson and obtained his M.D. in 2008. Dr. Friday returned to Phoenix to complete his Psychiatric residency at Maricopa Integrated Health Systems in 2011 followed by a fellowship for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 2013. He was elected Vice Chief Resident in 2010 and served as Chief Child/Adolescent Psychiatric fellow in 2012 and 2013. Dr. Friday specializes in caring for LDS patients and is sensitive to the needs of patients of all faiths. He speaks French fluently and is always happy to converse with a fellow francophone or Francophile. 14 Pratt and Brody. 15 Butler, et al. Integration of Mental Health/Substance Abuse and Primary Care No. 173. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 2008 Oct. TODAY ’ S P R A C T I C E: C H A N G I N G T H E B U S I NES S OF M EDI C I NE