TRADITIONALLY, "behavioral health" refers to mental-health and substance-abuse treatment through psychosocial and/or pharmacy
care, says Gregory Bayer, PhD.
Gregory Bayer, PhD CEO United Behavioral Health
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"But while this is still the most commonly used definition in the behavioral-health industry, it does not completely reflect
current thinking," says Bayer, the 54-year-old chief executive officer of United Behavioral Health (UBH). "Our approach integrates
medical and behavioral health, with a goal of improving the way healthcare works so it leads to better outcomes for people
and increased productivity for employers. We believe behavioral healthcare reflects how the combination of mind, body and
environment all affect an individual's health, work and relationships with others. It can produce behavior change through
medical or psychological treatments, address lifestyle risks that diminish health and promote a sense of well-being in the
midst of a medical recovery."
An important part of care today is providing the right care in the right place at the right time to improve affordability
and achieve the best outcomes, according to Bayer. "In a world with an ever-increasing use of technology, the way people get
information and receive assistance has changed," he says. "We not only need a network of clinicians and providers, but also
alternative channels that are flexible and convenient so that it's easier for people to access the care and information they
need in the way that works best for them. Some individuals and conditions are appropriately served by face-to-face counseling;
for others, the right channel might be telephonic or online resources, or any combination of the above, at any time, based
on their needs and comfort level. This also can improve affordability of behavioral health for employers, health plans and
public sector entities."
Q Your theory is that medical and behavioral health need to be better integrated in order to treat the whole person. Why is
integration so important?A An integrated approach is designed to lead to better results for an individual while improving healthcare affordability. Many
individuals have behavioral health issues that go undetected and untreated. For example, it is estimated that 28% of individuals
with chronic conditions-such as heart disease, cancer, asthma and diabetes-also suffer from depression. Medical costs are
estimated to be 2.5 times higher for people with these conditions who are also depressed. Depressed workers also have an estimated
1.5 to 3.2 more lost work days than other workers.
At a glance
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On the other end of the continuum are people who are 'well' but who might benefit from lifestyle coaching to avoid health
problems in the future. For example, untreated stress can lead to anxiety or depression. Stress itself is estimated to account
for 7.9% of the overall medical spend for employers. Left untreated, these individuals' health and productivity can decline.
The medical and behavioral health industries must develop innovative approaches to work with a customer's medical partners
to help identify and treat the total health of an individual.
Q Has there been any progress in measuring outcomes in behavioral health?
A Quantitative data to prove the return on investment for behavioral healthcare is an evolving science. UBH and the former
PacifiCare Behavioral Health moved beyond the industry norm a few years ago by launching outcomes-measurement tools that tracked
an individual's progress through self-reported feedback. When the two companies merged, their respective outcomes-measurement
tools were combined and further refined.
Today, we measure outcomes in outpatient treatment and in many cases use concurrent interventions to help improve outcomes.
We also use the data to help identify members who are likely to require higher levels of care so we can provide the treatment
and other support services they need to achieve the best outcomes. In addition, we provide members with information about
facilities that provide the best care based on outcomes. The result is consumers have relevant information to help them make
informed healthcare decisions.
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