ABSTRACT
The patient-centered medical home, which is termed the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) in the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA), is a transformational initiative with mental and behavioral health as integral components. Funding has been provided
to VA medical facilities to assist with the transformation and process redesign of primary care into interdisciplinary teams
focused on increased access, Veteran-centered care, and active incorporation of collaborative expertise from specialists within
primary care. Primary care clinics are not simple machines that change by merely replacing parts or colocating additional
resources. Rather, they are complex systems with a relationship infrastructure among members of the team that is critically
important to the change process. Mental health professionals are integral, mandated members of the PACTs providing needed
mental and behavioral health care to Veterans as an integrated component of primary care. They also work to catalyze a quality
improvement process that encourages collaboration, innovation, and adoption of best practices that promote transformation
based on patient-centered principles of care. The purpose of this article is to describe the evolution of VA primary care
settings toward interdisciplinary teams that provide patient-centered care in collaboration with Primary Care–Mental Health
Integration providers and Health Promotion Disease Prevention team members.
(VA), is a transformational initiative with mental and behavioral health as integral components. Funding has been provided
to VA medical facilities to assist with the transformation and process redesign of primary care into interdisciplinary teams
focused on increased access, Veteran-centered care, and active incorporation of collaborative expertise from specialists within
primary care. Primary care clinics are not simple machines that change by merely replacing parts or colocating additional
resources. Rather, they are complex systems with a relationship infrastructure among members of the team that is critically
important to the change process. Mental health professionals are integral, mandated members of the PACTs providing needed
mental and behavioral health care to Veterans as an integrated component of primary care. They also work to catalyze a quality
improvement process that encourages collaboration, innovation, and adoption of best practices that promote transformation
based on patient-centered principles of care. The purpose of this article is to describe the evolution of VA primary care
settings toward interdisciplinary teams that provide patient-centered care in collaboration with Primary Care–Mental Health
Integration providers and Health Promotion Disease Prevention team members.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Practice and Public Health Policy
- Pages 1-5
- DOI 10.1007/s13142-011-0093-4
- Authors
- Lisa K. Kearney, National Integrated Care Coordinator, Office of Mental Health Operations, VA Central Office, 5441 Babcock Road, Suite 300, San Antonio, TX 78240, USA
- Edward P. Post, National Medical Director, Primary Care-Mental Health Integration Office, VA Central Office—Office of Primary Care, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
- Antonette Zeiss, Chief Consultant, Office of Mental Health Services, VA Central Office, 810 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20420, USA
- Michael G. Goldstein, Associate Chief Consultant for Preventive Medicine, VHA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 3022 Croasdaile Drive, Suite 200, Durham, NC 27705, USA
- Margaret Dundon, National Program Manager for Health Behavior, VHA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 3022 Croasdaile Drive, Suite 200, Durham, NC 27705, USA
- Journal Translational Behavioral Medicine
- Online ISSN 1613-9860
- Print ISSN 1869-6716