The Collaborative Care Model for Patients With Both Mental Health and Medical Conditions Implemented in Hospital Outpatient Care Settings

With the increased concern regarding the negative impact that care in silos has on patients and the health care system, there is growing interest in integrated models of care especially for individuals with co-occurring physical and mental health conditions. Although generally applied in a community setting, we adapted and implemented an evidence-based integrated model of care, the collaborative care model (CCM) in an adult and a pediatric hospital-based outpatient clinic. Enrolment was criteria based and management was measurement driven. The model is team based and consists of new roles for its members including the patient, the care manager, the primary care clinician, and the psychiatric consultant. A key role was that of the care manager who worked with the patient and engaged primary care. The care manager also organized team-based treatment planning in systematic case reviews that contributed to the care plan. Support for training of the new and changes in roles is underscored. In this communication we comment on our initial experience of applying the CCM to the hospital outpatient setting.