Improving mental health for older adults
Faculty Associate Jie Chen's recently published article in the Public Policy & Aging Report delves into the potential of accountable care organizations (ACOs) to transform mental health care for older adults with mental health disorders (MHDs). Dr. Chen and her colleagues highlight the economic and healthcare disparities faced by this demographic, as the report shows that individuals with MHD incur higher healthcare costs and often receive poorer care. Additionally, they highlight that the COVID-19 pandemic affected mental health care "by highlighting inequities, exposing system deficiencies, focusing attention on how we care for older patient populations, and launching a new era of digital mental health."
Dr. Chen and her colleagues suspect that ACOs have the potential to address disparities through integrated care models, as they show promise in managing diverse populations. They mention that by coordinating care across medical specialties and incorporating digital health solutions, such as telemedicine and AI tools, ACOs can enhance access to mental health services for older adults with MHD. ACOs have the potential to reduce healthcare disparities and improve clinical outcomes.
Dr. Chen and her colleagues call for policy reforms to support ACOs in effectively integrating mental health care. Recommendations include incentivizing mental health care coordination within ACO frameworks, enhancing digital health infrastructure, and establishing metrics to measure integration success and patient outcomes. Such initiatives are crucial for reshaping mental health care delivery, ensuring equitable access to care, and addressing the complex healthcare needs of aging adults with MHD.
Teagan Knapp Maguire, Seyeon Jang, Alice Shijia Yan, Jie Chen. (2024). "Accountable Care Organizations, Mental Health, and Aging in the New Era of Digital Health". Public Policy & Aging Report, 34(2), 54–58. https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/prae003