Solution to the Patient, Family, or Population's Mental Health Problem

Patient, Family, or Population Health Problem Solution
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Patient, Family, or Population Health Problem Solution
Introduction
A majority of patients with mental health disorders tend to present with physical conditions: for instance, the patient is not only depressed and suicidal but is also a cancer patient. These disparate comorbidities cannot be sufficiently treated using a model of care that relies on an individual clinician delivering the required intervention. The complex treatment needs require an evidence-based integrative model that employs a patient-centered approach using both conventional and adjunctive treatments through a concerted care approach.
Collaborative Care Model
The collaborative care model is a suitable solution to the identified mental health patient problem. The collaborative care model is an efficient method of treating the patient’s depression and anxiety problems in primary care environment through the active assimilation of care managers and consultant psychologists, under the management of primary care physicians, to proactively manage chronic mental health challenges, as opposed to just treating the acute symptoms (Sanchez, 2017). Research evidence shows a positive correlation between mental illness and chronic medical conditions, including cancer, where one form of illness can worsen the other. Like in the patient’s case, physical illness can cause psychological distress and even exacerbate suicide ideation: the patient’s cancer diagnosis accompanied by feelings of loneliness and despair may have pushed him to act on his suicidal thoughts. Collaborative care is, therefore, the best solution to the patient problem because it integrates mental and physical care by treating psychological issues in the primary care setting (Wagenaar et al., 2019).
A multidisciplinary team of the primary care provider, social workers, behavioral health specialists, and other mental health specialists use motivational interviewing to understand the patient’s mental and physical health goals. The information collected from the patient is then used to create a plan of care that all concerned clinicians work collectively to fulfill. Collaborative care employs patient-reported outcome measures to influence clinical management and certify that the patient cost-effectively meets specified health goals. The collaborative care team is headed by a primary care provider and includes nurses, behavioral health care managers, and other mental health professionals. For instance, in the patient’s case, the collaborative care model could include a licensed therapist, psychologist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and social worker.
The team typically employs evidence-based practice guidelines to execute a measurement-based care plan dedicated to meeting the patient’s needs and not fulfilling clinical goals. Unlike other care models that fail to incorporate behavioral health services, the collaborative care model is not only supported by clinical evidence but is founded on chronic care delivery principles, over and above, concentrates on ensuring accountability as well as quality i...