Help for health care

People who need primary care and mental health services could soon have their needs met in one visit. An educational session on a plan to integrate services was held Wednesday at Glen Oaks Community College. It was a rare meeting attended by members of the Three Rivers Health, Sturgis Hospital and Community Mental Health of St. Joseph County boards. Sturgis Hospital CEO Rob LaBarge welcomed guests. Liz O’Dell, director of St. Joseph County CMH, introduced keynote speakers Donna Sabourin, director of the Washtenaw Community Health Organization and Bev Hammerstrom, former state legislator. Three Rivers Health president/CEO Matt Chambers announced that an $85,000 Rural Health Service Area grant has been awarded to begin making plans for integrated services. While there are historical cultural differences between mental and physical health services, working together could save hospitals money and make life for patients easier. In applying for the grant, a needs assessment had to be prepared. According to the assessment, St. Joseph County is a rural, medically underserved and economically challenged county. The county is medically underserved and it is difficult to recruit primary care and behavioral health providers because of the large number of uninsured and under-insured and the low reimbursement rates for Medicaid and Medicare. The pool of available primary care doctors is also diminishing as more primary care doctors are retiring than entering the market from medical schools. At Sturgis Hospital, 20-25 percent of those treated in the emergency room have no family physician. Three Rivers Health has a total patient population that is represented by more than 50 percent of patients covered by either Medicaid or Medicare. Public mental health services provided by St. Joseph County CMH where 80 percent of those served have Medicaid. Cutbacks in state funding and changes in eligibility requirements have resulted in many in need going untreated or undertreated. Chambers said a recent study has found that people with serious mental illness are dying on average nearly three decades earlier than the general population. There is a high prevalence of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease in this population. Chambers said there is growing evidence that an integrated approach linking mental health services in primary care settings improves clinical outcomes and has the potential to significantly enhance the quality of life for those with mental health problems. This concept of integrated care will make the best use of limited resources to provide cost effective care for county residents.