Changes in Hospital Utilization Among Seriously Mentally Ill Patients Following Enrollment in an Integrated Primary and Behavioral Health Care Program.

Objectives: Integrated primary and behavioral health care models are emerging to improve access to care; however, the effect they have on utilization and expenditure has yet to be studied.

Methods: A retrospective, longitudinal review of all patients (N = 343; 97% Medicaid) enrolled in our primary and behavioral health care program looked at hospital utilization up to a year before and after enrollment and estimated spending from Medicaid reimbursement data.

Results: There was a significant decrease in emergency department (ED) visits per person before enrollment vs after enrollment (2.