Concert Health, a virtual behavioral health startup, has partnered with CommonSpirit Health, the second-largest nonprofit hospital chain in the United States, to bring integrated behavioral care into primary care settings. The collaboration is designed to help CommonSpirit better address behavioral health conditions, including anxiety and depression, through a streamlined, collaborative care model.
CommonSpirit Health: A Nationwide Healthcare Network
Headquartered in Chicago, CommonSpirit Health was formed through the 2019 merger of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. The system includes 137 hospitals and over 1,000 care sites across 21 states, making it one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the country. This extensive network enables CommonSpirit to reach diverse patient populations and implement large-scale healthcare initiatives, including the integration of behavioral health into primary care practices.
Concert Health: Bringing Collaborative Behavioral Care to Primary Practices
Concert Health, based in San Diego, California, partners with hundreds of primary care and women’s health providers across the nation to identify and treat patients’ behavioral health needs. Its national team consists of 75 licensed mental health professionals and 20 psychiatric consultants who support primary care providers in delivering timely and effective behavioral health services. The startup’s virtual model emphasizes collaboration, communication, and real-time intervention, ensuring patients receive the care they need without long delays.
How the Integrated Care Model Works
Under the partnership, CommonSpirit primary care physicians will screen patients for anxiety and depression during routine visits. Those who require additional behavioral health support are referred to a dedicated team of Concert Health care managers. These care managers develop personalized behavioral health care plans and act as liaisons between the primary care physician and a psychiatric provider.
While the behavioral health team recommends medication when necessary, the primary care physician writes the prescriptions. Care managers provide ongoing support, including medication management, goal setting, and evidence-based therapy. Patients can meet with care managers by phone, video, or in-person at a CommonSpirit location, ensuring flexible and accessible care.
Debut in Bakersfield: Addressing High Unmet Behavioral Health Needs
The integrated care program has been launched in Bakersfield, California, an area known for high unmet behavioral health needs. The initial rollout is designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of collaborative care in bridging the gap between primary and behavioral health services. CommonSpirit and Concert Health plan to expand the program throughout central California later in 2020 and into additional markets in 2021.
The Importance of Integrated Behavioral Health
Behavioral health has a significant impact on patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Patients with untreated behavioral health conditions often experience poorer physical health outcomes and increased utilization of medical services. By integrating behavioral health into primary care, CommonSpirit and Concert Health aim to provide comprehensive, coordinated care that addresses both medical and mental health needs.
Christine Brocato, vice president of strategic innovation at CommonSpirit Health, emphasized the value of the collaborative care model. “To bridge long-standing gaps between mental and physical health care, we need to turn to evidence-based models that integrate these areas of care and provide real outcomes. Especially for the vulnerable or underserved, seeking behavioral health care in the community can be challenging due to stigma, lack of access, and prohibitive costs,” Brocato said.
Benefits of the Collaborative Care Model
The collaborative care approach offers several advantages over traditional referral-based behavioral health treatment. By creating a single, coordinated care team, patients receive timely support rather than waiting weeks for specialty referrals. Care managers ensure consistent follow-up, monitor progress, and facilitate communication between primary care physicians and psychiatric providers. This model helps reduce fragmentation of care, improve adherence to treatment plans, and increase patient engagement.
Leveraging Technology for Behavioral Health Integration
Concert Health’s virtual model leverages technology to improve access to care. Video consultations, digital monitoring tools, and secure communication platforms allow care managers to provide continuous support and follow-up, even for patients in remote or underserved areas. The use of telehealth ensures that behavioral health care can be delivered efficiently while maintaining quality and patient safety.
Impact on Underserved Populations
Integrated behavioral health is particularly beneficial for underserved populations who may face barriers such as geographic isolation, limited access to specialty care, stigma, and financial constraints. By embedding behavioral health services within primary care, CommonSpirit and Concert Health reduce barriers and provide a more equitable approach to mental health treatment. Early intervention can prevent conditions from worsening, improve overall health outcomes, and lower long-term healthcare costs.
Scaling the Program Nationwide
While the initial rollout focuses on Bakersfield, California, the partnership aims to scale the integrated care model across multiple markets. The goal is to replicate the program’s success in diverse communities, expanding access to collaborative behavioral health care for patients nationwide. Scaling the model will require ongoing collaboration, monitoring, and evaluation to ensure that patient outcomes remain positive and services remain accessible.
A Growing Commitment to Holistic Patient Care
The partnership between CommonSpirit and Concert Health reflects a broader trend in healthcare toward holistic, patient-centered care. Recognizing that behavioral health significantly influences physical health, healthcare organizations are increasingly investing in models that integrate mental health services with primary care. By addressing behavioral health needs promptly and collaboratively, providers can improve patient outcomes, enhance quality of life, and reduce healthcare costs.
Future Prospects for Collaborative Care
The integrated care model between CommonSpirit and Concert Health is a promising step forward in modernizing behavioral health treatment. As healthcare systems continue to prioritize mental health, collaborative care programs are likely to become more common, helping to fill gaps in access and improve coordination across disciplines. By leveraging technology and evidence-based practices, these programs can deliver timely, effective care to patients who need it most.
Conclusion
The partnership between Concert Health and CommonSpirit Health represents a significant advancement in behavioral health care. By integrating mental health services into primary care, the collaboration addresses gaps in access, reduces fragmentation, and provides coordinated, evidence-based care for patients experiencing anxiety, depression, and other behavioral health conditions.
Through its initial rollout in Bakersfield and plans for broader expansion, this integrated care model demonstrates how collaboration, technology, and a patient-centered approach can transform the delivery of behavioral health services. As healthcare providers increasingly recognize the importance of mental health in overall wellness, programs like this offer a scalable, effective solution to meet the growing demand for comprehensive behavioral care.
The Concert Health and CommonSpirit partnership sets a precedent for future collaborations, emphasizing the value of integrated care, timely interventions, and coordinated support for patients’ mental and physical health needs.
