Integration of Home Health Care concept within the mental health industry in Arizona is off to a rocky start. Pictured here: Doctors and nurses at the turn of the century prepare for surgery.
Many psychiatrists diagnose a patient’s illness after a 30-45 minute interview without doing any tests to rule out potential medical causes of psychiatric symptoms and problems.
Even with the big push for “integration” of medical and mental health care services underway now in many states, including Arizona, which has a new Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) there is little real communication or coordination of care really going on here as far as I can see.
When I tried to address this issue recently with the RBHA (Mercy Maricopa) and management of my mental health clinic I was “politely ignored” – I guess you could say.
Unfortunately there is not a realization that this issue is even a problem at either the clinic or RBHA level.
This is a very sad situation because many of us at our clinic were “sold” on this idea of the importance of this concept of total health – mind and body. Which sounds very good to me as a patient. I mean it makes perfect sense in many ways that I could achieve some level of coordination and integration of care here.
In my case when I first tried to apply for our IHH, or Integrated Home Healthcare medical clinic I was readily welcomed with open arms, up until the point where they found out I didn’t have AHCCCS healthcare insurance. AHCCCS is the state of Arizona’s version of Medicaid for the poor. At which point I was immediately rejected and turned away.
It was only after I got AHCCCS that I was suddenly welcomed back into the program. Which should have been my first clue that something was sort of funny going on here.
For example when a medical provider cares more about you, in terms of what type of insurance you have than the fact that you need care and treatment in the first place, it makes you want to question their motives in wanting to help you.
See related article: Better medical testing and care of patients diagnosed with serious mental illness needed in Arizona https://groundreport.com/better-medical-testing-and-care-of-patients-diagnosed-with-serious-mental-illness-needed-in-arizona/
See video: Magellan Integrated Health Home PSA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLAeC0XA4CU