Date of Award
Spring 2024
Project Type
Clinical Doctorate
College or School
CHHS
Department
Nursing
Program or Major
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Degree Name
Other
First Advisor
Cathleen Colleran
Second Advisor
Dennis Badman
Third Advisor
Lydia McKenzie
Abstract
Primary care, an extension of family medicine remains a key access point for patients entering the healthcare system. Accessing specialty psychiatric services can be limited in rural communities due to provider shortages and geographical constraints. Primary care providers can facilitate improved access to behavioral health services by introducing a collaborative approach to the traditional medical model. This quality improvement initiative adopted the collaborative care model originally produced by the University of Washington to treat common mental health conditions in the medical setting (2023). A team consisting of a primary care provider, behavioral health case manager and psychiatric consultant served nine participants residing in a rural, medically underserved area in New Hampshire. Interventions optimized medical management for chronic health conditions and addressed behavioral health needs with evidence-based interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing. Self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and degree of resiliency by average score were tracked and used for analysis of patient outcomes. Overall, participants reported improved symptoms of depression and anxiety and increased resiliency and ability to cope with stress. The results revealed increased accessibility to specialty psychiatric care in less time than the national average, improved quality of life and psychological and medical stability for participants.
Recommended Citation
Stephens, Christina M., "Integrating Behavioral Health into Family Medicine: Improving Access to Specialty Care for Medically Underserved Community Using a Collaborative Care Model" (2024). DNP Scholarly Projects. 107.
https://scholars.unh.edu/scholarly_projects/107