On April 23
rd and 24
th of this year, Cherokee Health Systems hosted the second
Smoky Mountain Integrated Care Conference on integrated care, funded in part by a SAMHSA grant to disseminate knowledge on integration of behavioral health into primary care. The theme of the conference was
The Behaviorally Enhanced Healthcare Home. The concept of a “healthcare home” has been critical in the current national dialogue on enhancing the healthcare delivery system, and by extension, blending behavioral health into primary care to reduce fragmentation and improve quality of care. This conference focused on clinical systems and processes, operations, and financing mechanisms designed to support an integrated behaviorally enhanced healthcare home. The conference provided an opportunity for payers, clinicians, researchers, and policy makers to share their knowledge and perspectives through a series of presentations and interactive panels (
click here for agenda). Participants from 44 different organizations and government agencies from 18 states participated in the conference. The conference consisted of dissemination of high quality knowledge about the practice of integrated care, as well as stimulating discussion about critical operational, financial, and policy considerations as organizations strive to integrate behavioral health and primary care.
